The Assistant Conundrum
by katladyd
Summary: Sheldon gets a new assistant who turns his world upside down and opens his eyes to many things. I don NOT own TBBT or any of its characters. I just take them out to play now and again.
1. Chapter 1

The Assistant Conundrum

Chapter One

Sheldon Cooper studied his whiteboard impatiently. Where was Raj? The nerve of him to leave for two weeks when they were deep into these proofs. Raj had come up with a most intriguing new hypothesis for measuring the gravitational forces inside black holes, and they had been hard at work determining its viability for the past two months. Now he takes an assignment that will take him out of town to have time at the Palomar telescope. Sheldon sighs. He knows that as an astrophysicist this is a prime assignment for his colleague, but they were on the cusp of something amazing, something that could easily get them a Nobel nomination. Oh well, Raj had not left him high and dry. He was leaving his assistant in his place, a fellow named Nikita Horner. Most likely one of those Russian hybrids science was too full of lately. Sheldon snorted _, we had beaten them to the moon and now they felt they were justified in interbreeding with all the brilliant English, German, and North American minds the world possessed._ While Sheldon had no problem with selective breeding in its purest form, he detested the use of it to "cheat" in the scientific community. _Marry and breed with your own kind if you're so smart, leave our brilliance to us._

Suddenly, Sheldon remembered Amy and sighed once more. They had been two of the most brilliant minds in North America. They really should have reproduced before Amy's death two years ago, but they had both felt that they had had plenty of time for that; it was science and their relationship that had been of paramount importance to both of them. Some days he truly missed having Amy to talk to and bounce ideas off of. She had understood him so much better than any of his other friends and colleagues. Cancer. It had been the most difficult and emotionally horrendous year of his life after Amy had been diagnosed. Surgeries, chemo, radiation, nothing had stopped the cancer's insidious growth through Amy's weakened body. The day she died, Sheldon had actually felt relieved. Relieved that Amy's pain and torment had ceased, relieved that he no longer had to look like he bought into her valiant efforts to stay upbeat, even after they both knew the truth, the inevitability of her death. Sheldon's tears had been a mixture of both grief and release. He had not wanted another relationship since her passing. What would be the point? There could never be a woman as intelligent and accepting of his foibles as Amy, not in this particular universe, anyway.

"Hey, Sheldon! We're here." announced Raj as he entered Sheldon's office. His voice had an almost forced gaiety to it. Sheldon took a second to compose himself before he turned around. He didn't want Raj to see the grief that was etched upon his face. All of his friends thought he was almost fully recovered from Amy's passing and he wanted it to stay that way. Sheldon turned and started to greet his friend when he noticed someone with him that could not possibly have been his replacement. Raj was with a female. Now, Sheldon recognized and accepted that there were brilliant women in this world; Amy had been proof of that. But, this female looked like she could have more likely been one of Penny's airheaded friends than a serious scientist. This woman was around his age, tall, slender, with ash blonde hair. Her mouth was turned up at the corners, too. As if she was sharing a secret joke with herself. The total effect was an unsettling one for Sheldon.

"Good afternoon, Raj. Where is my new assistant, if I may ask?" Sheldon had no interest in whom the woman next to Raj could be, he just wanted to continue his work.

"Right here, dude." Raj chortled. "Dr. Nikita Horner, this is Dr. Sheldon Cooper. Sheldon, Nikita."

"On what planet do you find this acceptable, Dr. Koothrappali? That person most definitely does not look like a Nikita. A Penny, maybe, but not a Nikita."

"Hey, no problem." The woman replied, "I get that all the time. Just call me Niki."

Sheldon narrowed his eyes and spat out, "I will not! Raj, what are you trying to pull off here? Is this some kind of joke?"

"She's quite qualified to do the work, Sheldon." Raj answered.

"In what way? I ask for an assistant to help me solve one of the most perplexing puzzles in the universe and you bring me a Hooter's waitress?"

The woman broke out into a melodious laugh, "Dr. Cooper, I assure you I am qualified. I received my Doctorate in Astrophysics from Stanford, and I was an instructor for some time at the Keck Science Institute. I, as they say, know my stuff. Oh, I have also spent most of the last two years before I came here in charge of the big telescope at the Mount Wilson Observatory. But… I have been to Hooter's and I have no objection to having a good time, so does that disqualify me? Listen, I have been assisting Dr. K here for about 6 months and I find his work fascinating. He has told me about the work you two are doing with Black Holes and I would love to help with that."

Sheldon turned away from both of them. "Absolutely not! Raj, I refuse to work with this person. You can tell her to leave now."

Another laugh, "I'm afraid you can't refuse me, Dr. Cooper. I'm all you've got. No one else at this institution cares to work with you. They say you're a bit difficult. I will, though. I am familiar with your work and think you are one of the leading minds in physics today."

"One of?" Sheldon replied haughtily.

"Well, I have worked with some fine scientists in the past, but never one with your credentials. I can't say you're the best until I've had the chance to work with you as well, now can I? "

"So, you've worked with 'some fine scientists'. How does that qualify you to work with me?" Sheldon spat out.

"Being in charge of the Observatory put me in contact with many prominent physicists and astronomers, Dr. Cooper, and they all recommended I work with you if I ever got the chance. So here I am." She replied, her eyes almost drilling a hole through him.

Sheldon was unnerved. Her eyes were a light shade of grey, much like mercury. Sheldon also noticed a sprinkling of freckles across the bridge of her nose _. Did_ _women her age still have freckles?_ Sheldon asked himself. _No more of this silly thinking_. The woman was correct in that no one at this institution relished working with him besides Raj, and she seemed to have no problem with that. Hmmm. Well, he could take her on and if she wasn't up to speed, he could let her go. No problem there.

"Dr. Cooper, may I work with you or not? It really would be an honor."

Sheldon relented, though reluctantly, "Well, played, Dr. Horner. I will accept you as my assistant under two conditions."

"Those being?" she inquired with a knowing smile. She knew he had no choice.

"That you never forget that you are merely my assistant and that you discuss our work with no one. Not to family, friends, nor spouse."

"Agreed, Dr. Cooper. But who would I tell? I am single and I have spent most of the last two years on Mt. Wilson. Still, my lips are sealed and my subservience is promised." She broke into a wide smile and held out her hand for a handshake.

"Very well, Dr. Horner," Sheldon responded, grasping her hand and shaking it firmly. "You may start tomorrow morning. One thing I am curious about, though."

"What would that be?"

"Why on earth did your parents name you Nikita? I would hardly call that a proper name for a female."

"Oh, that. My mom loved that Elton John song and instead of the boy she was expecting, she had me. So, I was Nikita. People call me Niki, though." She smiled warmly at him, "You can too, if you like."

"No need for that. Dr. Horner will do nicely. I will see you tomorrow at 9:00 a.m., don't be late. I demand punctuality."

"Fine, I will see you tomorrow. Good day, Dr. Cooper."

"Good day. Raj, I will see you when you return."

"Yeah, dude. Enjoy your time with Niki. You will find her a more than adequate assistant, plus, she's fun once you get to know her!"

"I don't need fun, Raj. I need results."

"Don't worry, you'll get both."

Raj turned and left his office with Dr. Horner, leaving Sheldon staring in their wake.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Raj had asked his assistant earlier that morning. "I'm telling you, I love the guy, but he can be difficult to work with."

"Most geniuses are." Nikita answered him. "I've dealt with difficult men in the past, why should Dr. Cooper be any different?"

"By the end of the morning, believe me; you won't have to ask that one again."

"I think I can handle Dr. Cooper. He can't show me anything I haven't seen before, unless it deals with physics, and that is what I want, the physics."

Raj looked at his assistant fondly. He had been extremely lucky to have grabbed her when she first came to the university. Scientists with her credentials generally did not work as assistants to others. Partners, yes. Subordinates, no. However, Dr. Horner had been more than happy to work under him. She seemed to enjoy playing second banana. He wondered why. There was something about this woman that didn't totally add up. She was accomplished, brilliant, and charming, yet she was happiest when she was buried in her work, cutting off the outside world. In that way she reminded him of Sheldon. But Nikita Horner had none of Sheldon's idiosyncrasies; she seemed to be perfectly normal, or at least as normal as physicists of her caliber could possibly be.

"Why do you want to work with Sheldon so badly?" he finally asked her. "The guy can be a total pain."

"I'm assuming that he can be, but while I was up at Mt. Wilson I had the chance to read some of his work. The man is beyond a genius, he thinks on an entirely different level than everyone else. I would love the chance to work with him."

"Okay," Raj relented, "but don't say I didn't warn you."


	2. Chapter 2

**I want to thank everyone who reviewed or commented on this little story. All your responses were very much appreciated. I have a few chapters written and I will do my best to update regularly. Again, thank you.**

Chapter Two: So, We Meet Again

Sheldon walked over to his desk and sat in his chair. His mind was troubled. He was unsettled about the prospect of working with Raj's assistant. Oh, it wasn't because he questioned her intelligence, her accomplishments spoke of a scientist of no little ability. Sheldon had to admit to himself that this woman was the real deal and she would most likely be a suitable replacement for Raj. No, it was something else that was bothering him. He couldn't quite put a finger on it, but it had something to do with the way she had put him in his place without being the least bit disagreeable. There had been no eye rolling, no signs of frustration, just a calm rebuttal of all his protestations. And they had been valid points as well, delivered with just a hint of humor. Why did this annoy him so? She was just another scientist, albeit a female one. He encountered females at his workplace every day. Why did this one trouble him to this degree?

Sheldon gave up this train of thought and returned to his white board. But, try as he might, her strange eyes and taunting smirk haunted his thoughts _. It's almost as if she finds me amusing, he thought, 'but I certainly said nothing amusing to her, did I?'_ Eventually it was time to go home and Sheldon packed up his belongings and headed out of his office to find his friend and roommate, Leonard. Leonard was always his ride to the apartment they had shared since Amy had died. He had found an odd comfort moving back in with this friend and his wife, Penny. They had known each other for years and even though they had had their differences, he couldn't imagine how he would have gotten along after Amy had passed without the support and company of this couple. They both grounded him in some essential way and he knew he would have been completely lost without them.

Suddenly, Sheldon stopped in his tracks. Leonard was waiting for him by his car, as usual, but he had Dr. Horner with him. What was that all about? Well, there was nothing left to do but go over and join them. He still needed the ride home.

"Leonard, Dr. Horner." Sheldon greeted them.

Leonard looked surprised. "You know Niki?"

"We met this afternoon. She is going to be my assistant while Raj is away."

"Hello again, Dr. Cooper. And, yes, Leonard, I'm going to be helping Sheldon while Dr. K is gone."

"Are you sure you know what you're getting into?" Leonard asked her with a grin on his face.

"I've been warned. I just consider the gains worth far more than any of the risks. It's not often one gets to work with a physics legend."

Sheldon started to warm to the woman. Maybe there was hope for her after all. Still, he cocked one eyebrow and gave her his best condescending stare. "I hope you were serious with that statement. Mocking me would not be in your best interests, young lady."

"Believe me," she answered him, "mocking you was the furthest thing from my mind. I am actually quite excited to be working with you."

"For me." Sheldon corrected her.

"Okay, for you. It's still an honor. I am quite familiar with your work and would love to learn from you. If that isn't asking too much." The look in her eyes challenged him and Sheldon found himself more than a little irritated.

"No, I suppose it isn't. Leonard, you haven't explained to me what this woman is doing here."

"Oh, I guess I haven't. My bad." Leonard quickly explained, "Niki's car is in the shop for a couple of days, so I'm giving her a ride to and from work. Don't worry, Sheldon, it's not out of our way, she lives in the building next to ours."

"Very well. I take it you have met her through Raj, or did you meet her in the neighborhood?"

"Hello, I'm standing right here!" Niki reminded them in exasperation. "Dr. Cooper, I met Leonard at work. He pops in and visits Dr. K a lot. He seems harmless enough."

"I didn't mean anything like that, it's just…" Sheldon started, but never completed his thought. "Very well, I will see you in the morning then."

They all settled into Leonard's car and were silent on the way home. Sheldon noticed Dr. Horner still had that proverbial smirk on her face. Or was it a smile? Sheldon couldn't be sure. What he did know was that it unnerved him. If only the woman would look more like a serious scientist and less like one of Penny's friends, he would have been more comfortable. As it was, he was starting to dread the two weeks to come. But she had been right on one thing; no one else wanted the assignment. And…she thought he was a genius. Okay, maybe this could work. Maybe.

Niki stood with Leonard, waiting anxiously for Sheldon to arrive. She wasn't sure how he would react to seeing her there with his best friend, but she had needed a ride to and from work while her car was in the shop. Leonard was a regular visitor to Raj's office and Niki had struck up a casual friendship with the friendly, self-deprecating man. He was funny, easy to talk to, and he enjoyed physics just as much as Raj and herself. It had made perfect sense to take him up on his offer of a ride for a few days. Still, Leonard had told her that Sheldon was pretty possessive of his friends, so maybe he would see this as an unwelcome intrusion into his private life and change his mind about allowing her to work with him. Then she smiled to herself, she was probably the only person at Cal Tech who actually _wanted_ to work with Dr. Sheldon Cooper. However, his work spoke to his genius, and his personality, if not all warm and fuzzy, made him an interesting character study, and Niki loved to study people. It took her mind off of other things. She knew he might be difficult, but she was looking forward to the experience of working with Sheldon. To her, this might be a chance in a lifetime to get in on something amazing and she wasn't about to pass that chance up just because Dr. Cooper was a bit strange.

After greeting them, Sheldon and Leonard had begun talking not _to_ her, but _about_ her, as if she were some sort of lab specimen they were studying. This would never do and she had quickly set them straight. Respect was something Niki demanded of everyone. Respect for her and respect for others. Life was hard enough to get through and treating others in a kind manner helped to make it a bit easier. A sense of humor didn't hurt, either. Dr. Cooper had struck her as a bit condescending and serious, but she could only hope that behind that brusque, aloof, façade beat a warm, caring, human heart. Niki knew it would be difficult to bring that side of Sheldon out, but she hoped that was possible. No, she _knew_ it was possible, it was _always_ possible. Most humans craved positive interactions with others; it was just that some, for one reason or another, built a wall up against that sort of thing. Niki was curious as to what she would discover about Dr. Sheldon Cooper, PhD., ScD.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Revelations

Five days had passed since Dr. Horner had started working under him and Sheldon had to admit, she was quite adequate as an assistant. _She may be even more adequate_ _than Raj,_ Sheldon mused. He had expected someone who filled her time with foolish conversations and prattle, but this woman seemed to be someone who put science ahead of personal interactions and that actually helped Sheldon relax around her. What he had found her to be was an intelligent, dedicated, and extremely hard-working, scientist. Her knowledge of astrophysics exceeded even that of Raj, and that was saying something. It almost seemed as though they both lost themselves in the science, to the exclusion of everything else. Sheldon found himself becoming quite comfortable working with her. When Dr. Horner did emerge from her personal cocoon, it was to ask very intelligent and probing questions regarding his work. That was quite an ego boost, he had to admit. He had always gloried in the having the chance to show off his superior intellect to others. Still, this woman had proven to be most helpful and more than a bit intelligent. He was beginning to wonder if he could steal Dr. Horner from Raj to become his permanent assistant. While Sheldon thought himself far superior to any other physicist at Cal Tech, or in North America for that matter, he could on occasion, give credit where credit was due. It was true, he had discovered Dr. Nikita Horner was a top notch scientist and he fully intended to take her from Raj. He felt more than entitled to do so. _After all, wasn't his work far superior to the dribble that Raj usually worked on? Of course it was. And a dedicated scientist like Dr. Horner deserved to work with the best, and that was him. Now, all he needed to do was come up with a plan to get her away from Raj…._

Niki had found working with Dr. Cooper far more palatable than what she expected it to be. The work was intriguing and challenging and the two of them seemed to work well together i.e. they didn't get in each other's way. Sheldon worked in silence for the most part, unless he wanted to give her a suggestion or answer a question she had put to him. It was a very comfortable, almost companionable collaboration. Niki found that when he discovered the answer to some portion of an equation that had been eluding him, or answered a complex question for her, his deep blue eyes lit up and sparkled. Their usual veiled, cool, look would evaporate and it almost seemed like a different person had taken control of his body. It seemed to her that Sheldon Cooper could actually resemble an attractive man when he let down his defenses. This positive side of Sheldon, plus the exciting hypothesis they were developing, allowed Niki to almost forget the easy camaraderie and pleasant work environment she had shared with Dr. Koothrapali. Still, working with Dr. Cooper was completely different from working with Dr. K. Sheldon was far less relaxed, but his work was also far more productive and challenging. The physics were engaging and the hypothesis they were working to prove was both highly advanced and fulfilling, so Niki was not looking forward to the end of this assignment _. If only there some way she could leave Raj and keep working for Sheldon…._

Later that day, during a break in their work, Sheldon actually broached the question of working together after Raj returned.

"Dr. Horner," he started, "I do believe we have made great progress on this project. It's a pity you will be returning to work for Dr. Koothrappali soon. "I don't suppose you would consider splitting your time between the two of us? I have found your work quite satisfactory." Sheldon gave her one of his most sincere smiles, which Niki had found to be few and far between.

Niki's heart started racing. Dr. Cooper was actually inviting her to work with him, without being coerced into it! She was flattered, and filled with dread. Just how much had Raj told Sheldon about her? Had he told Sheldon the reason why she had spent two years on top of the mountain? She felt she had to tell him, and soon. Dr. Sheldon Cooper liked and admired her work! This was akin to an artist being praised by Raphael or Rembrandt _._ She had to make sure he knew everything about that period in her life. _Think, Niki, think. How am I supposed to answer this without turning Sheldon off of me and reducing my_ _own status?_ Finally, she turned to him and said in a cool, measure tone, "I'm sure we can work something out between the three of us. I have enjoyed working on this project with you. You have only improved my abilities as a researcher and for that, I thank you. Let me speak to Raj when he gets back and work something out with him."

"Very well," Sheldon responded with a grin, "I will leave all the dirty work up to you."

"I'd hardly call it 'dirty work', Dr. Cooper. I prefer to call it pragmatic protocol."

"Whatever you want to call it, be careful. I wouldn't want to lose Raj's friendship. We have known each other far too long for that." He cautioned her.

"Understood, Dr. Cooper. I will try not to disturb the homeostasis of your friendship." Niki could almost feel Sheldon let go of his tension. She got the feeling that confronting any problem outside of science was very difficult for him, especially if it was a personal problem. Well, she _did_ want to keep working for Sheldon as much, or maybe more, than he wanted her to keep working for him, so she would have to find a way to make that happen. She knew that sooner or later she would have to tell him about what had happened at Keck. But she also realized that this was neither the time nor the place for that sort of conversation. The truth remained, however, that she had to tell Sheldon more about her past before he found out from someone else. She was determined to tell Sheldon in a way that did not jeopardize her position with him. Working with Dr. Coooper was every physicists dream, or at least it was _her_ dream, and she wasn't about to see it end.

Early the next morning, Sheldon greeted Niki with a broad smile. "Great news! Raj is staying another week at Palomar. This gives us enough time to figure something out regarding your work situation."

Niki grinned back at him. "That _is_ good news, but don't you miss your friend?" This puzzled her. Sheldon often spoke of his high regard for Raj. He had told her that their friendship and their working relationship had improved greatly in the last two years. Why this was so, she never asked, figuring it was none of her business. She was just happy the two men closest to her at work were friends.

"Of course I miss him." Sheldon answered her, "But I want to be selfish and keep you to myself for another week as well."

"Well, at least you're honest about it and I'm flattered. But I do have a question to ask you regarding our work here. I've been wondering if we increased the dimensions of the black hole a bit, how much would that affect the space time continuum of our model?"

"It would greatly affect it, you know that very well already. However, that is not what we are looking for here. What we need, my dear Dr., is a theory which encompasses both the quantum theory of radiation and gravity simultaneously. That is the only way we will truly be able to explore further into black holes."

"Good God! The Theory of Everything? Is that really what we are working on here?" she asked incredulously. Only the best and the brightest physicists in the world were working on that particular problem. No one, as yet, had solved this conundrum and here she was, helping a premier physicist with this very thing! This made telling Sheldon about her past even more difficult.

"Ahh, you've figured it out." Sheldon admitted, "I know that sounds a bit ambitious, but who wouldn't love to figure out how to take a stroll down the Einstein-Rosen Bridge and find what waits on the other side? Wouldn't it be amazing to be the first to discover that? Does it lead to certain death or a parallel universe? Fascinating conjecture, isn't it? Of more importance, it could lead to a Nobel Prize. That has always been my goal. Have you determined what your ultimate goal is?"

Niki was about to respond when a song came drifting into the office from out in the hall. Niki froze and turned away quickly. "Whatever is the matter?" Sheldon asked nervously. He had never seen Dr. Horner react in such a fashion to anything and it worried him. Niki was usually concentrated on the work in front of her or smiling at him with that cheeky grin he had come to know so well and to almost expect. This, this was something completely different.

"I'm terribly sorry, Dr. Cooper, do carry on. I am not usually this unprofessional." Niki turned back towards him and he saw that there were tears in her large, grey, eyes.

"No," Sheldon replied, "what is wrong?"

"It was the music, that song, Marry You by Bruno Mars…it was _our_ song. He used to sing it to me."

"Who sang it to you?" Sheldon asked in exasperation. He wanted his calm, cool, assistant back, not this woman with tears running down her face. But then he looked at her pained face and concern replaced annoyance.

"My late husband." Niki wiped the tears from her face and returned to her whiteboard.

Sheldon was not having any of that. For some strange reason, he wanted to comfort her and make the tears disappear. "When did he die?" he asked her in a soft, quiet voice.

"Three years ago next month. " Niki turned back to Sheldon and managed a weak smile, "But that has nothing to do with our work here, does it?"

"Not our work, exactly, but it is important for us to discuss. Listen to me now. I'm sad to say, I lost my spouse as well. I do believe our losses have affected both of us. Do you wish to talk about it?"

Niki's mouth made a perfect O. "When did you lose her?"

"It's been two years now. I can suppose the pain is still with you?"

Niki managed a small smile. "Sometimes. I can be fine for the longest time and then something will trigger it, like that song."

"We had a song," Sheldon admitted, "and I used to sing it to Amy. It was Darlin' by the Beach Boys. I still can't listen to that song without breaking down."

"Like I just did?"

"Exactly." Sheldon now had tears in his own eyes, which he tried to hide from Niki.

"Please don't tell Raj or Leonard about this," Sheldon begged, "They think that I am fine now, they _need_ to think I'm fine now."

"Isn't it strange how the world keeps demanding we heal and heal quickly, so we don't upset our friends and family?" Niki pondered, "Yet how on earth do you do that?" she asked of him, giving up stoicism as tears streamed down her face.

"If I knew the answer to that one, I would be an even greater genius than I already am. It seems that everyone is kind and thoughtful for the first year or so and then they start subtly demanding that we 'move on and get over it'. As you said, how does one do that?"

"Maybe, "she stated as she walked toward him and put a hand on his shoulder, "you're a genius because you have figured out that we cannot heal on anyone's time line but our own."

"Perhaps, but maybe that is a lesson you can only learn through personal experience, painful though it may be."

"Unfortunately, I think you are right." Niki agreed, picked up her erasable marker, and turned back to her work.

"Say, I have an idea!" Sheldon exclaimed, his face brightening, "I think we should go somewhere, just the two of us, and share our stories over dinner. Perhaps that will help us both heal somewhat, or at least feel better."

Niki looked up with amazement at him. The reserved, pompous, physicist had been completely replaced by a caring, feeling, human being. This was good. Niki told herself that this dinner provided the perfect atmosphere for filling in Sheldon about her past. A nice dinner would relax both of them and perhaps he wouldn't be too disappointed or revolted by her and would keep her on. This was her best chance for that, so she agreed to the dinner. "I think that's a very good idea, Dr. Cooper. We could both stand to air it out instead of keeping all of this grief inside us."

"Please, call me Sheldon."

"Very well, Sheldon. You pick the place and the time and we will do just that."

Sheldon smiled down at his assistant, his blue eyes filled with gratitude. He had been wanting, no _needing_ to talk with someone about Amy for a long time now. His friends, caring and long-suffering as they were, no longer wanted to hear about his loss. They now wanted him to smile like an idiot and 'get on with life'. Maybe he could, if he was able to talk with Niki and become friends with the woman. They shared something together, tragic though it was, and they could use this to form some kind of relationship. Dinner would be the perfect opportunity to discuss things. Yes. It was about time.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: A Lot to Chew On

Two hours later they found themselves ensconced snugly in a booth at the Panda Inn. Sheldon was going to suggest they eat at the Szechuan Palace, but that particular restaurant was one he frequented with his friends and he didn't know what to call Niki; friend, assistant, or co worker, so he had decided to let her make the call and she had chosen the Panda Inn. It seemed like a nice place to him, clean, bright, with the usual Asian décor, but he had never eaten there before, so there was some trepidation on his part.

"What would you recommend we order?" Sheldon asked somewhat nervously. "I'm a little picky about my Chinese food. Strike that, I'm picky about all of my food."

Niki just grinned at him and chuckled, "Everything is good here, but I love the Tangerine Chicken. They get it right; they don't attempt to pass off Orange Chicken as Tangerine Chicken."

"Oh," Sheldon exclaimed, "I hate that, too! Okay, Tangerine Chicken it is. What else is palatable here?"

"Their Broccoli Beef is nice, so is their Mu Shu Pork. Oh, they also have delectable Spring Rolls here. Let's try the Orange Chicken, Mu Shu Pork, Spring Rolls, and Won Ton soup. I love all of those things."

"Okay." Sheldon replied, wondering how such a thin woman could eat that much food, even with his help. But if he had learned anything about women from Penny and Amy it had been to keep any comments about their eating habits and their weight to himself.

"So, what shall we talk about until our food gets here?" She asked. "Would you like to talk about our past lives at all? I'm a little bit curious, how did you meet Amy and what was she like?"

"I met Amy through the assistance of Raj and another friend of mine, Howard. They set me up to meet a young woman with whom an online dating service had matched me. It wasn't my idea at all."

"Well, it seems like it worked out very well for you. Tell me, what was she like?"

"She was highly intelligent, focused, mostly kind, very patient, and very devoted to us. Anything else you need to know?"

"Well, what did she do for a living and what did she look like?"

"She had the most beautiful green eyes; she was not that tall, but not too short, either. She dressed in comfortable, colorful clothes, she had silky brown hair and she wore glasses. She worked at Cal Tech as a neurobiologist. We dated for several years before we got engaged and married. I loved her very much, but I don't know if I showed that to her enough" Sheldon found himself curious about Niki. "What about your past life, if I may ask?"

"His name was Paul. He was also highly intelligent and worked as an attorney specializing in Constitutional Law. He belonged to a couple of those secret societies that very influential men belong to. He was a tall, big man with very expressive brown eyes. He was also very funny! He made me laugh my ass off all of the time. We just "got" each other from the start. We dated three years before we got married. He always supported my dreams and goals. He was my biggest cheerleader and confidante while I was getting my Doctorate. That made the entire process that much easier."

"I understand exactly. I've always felt that Amy was more like me than any other person I ever met. I can be hard to handle, but Amy was always so patient and understanding. Well, most of the time she was, anyway. When I had pushed her too far she was never shy about telling me so. But, I'll admit, she took more off of me than she should have. She was amazing."

By the time he had finished they both had tears in their eyes, remembering their lost loves. Suddenly, Niki spoke up, "It hurt to talk about Paul, but I'm so tired of _not_ talking about him that it hurts in a good way, if you can understand that."

"Oh, I was just thinking that same thing! It's almost like Amy came alive again for a minute there. I needed to feel that."

"Yes, no one else wants me to talk about Paul any more. I guess they want me to leave that part of my life behind me. I was a mess after he died."

"I m so sorry to hear that. I haven't been at my best since Amy's death, but I'm trying, I'm really trying to put the pieces together again. But…it's been very, very hard for me."

Niki took a deep breath and focused intently on the man across the booth from her. "If I tell you something personal about that time, can you promise not to think less of me?"

"How could I think less of you? Whatever happened, well, it happened after your husband died. I would hope I would be more understanding than judgmental."

"Sheldon, have you ever wondered why I left Keck and went to Mt. Wilson?"

Sheldon looked at her with a questioning look on his face, "Why would I have wondered about that? You left the mundane world of teaching for the exciting world of research and applied science! I can't fault you for that."

"Sheldon, I loved teaching there. I didn't leave of my own volition. I was asked to leave, in no uncertain terms."

"Why would someone do that? You are a most capable physicist and I imagine you were a fine professor."

"I _was_ a fine teacher, while Paul was alive. After he died…" Niki left the sentence hanging in space.

"After he died, what?" Sheldon asked her. He was most perplexed. Why would anyone in their right mind ask this woman to leave their school?

"After he died, I developed a bit of a drinking problem." She confessed in a very small voice. "Okay, it was more than a bit. I became a heavy drinker. That's how I handled Paul's death. Not too pretty a picture, is it? I became a terrible teacher. I was always late for classes and labs, I seldom graded work, and I began to show up for classes drunk on my ass. It was not a good time for me. After they let me go, a friend of mine in the department got me into a good rehab and after that, they secured a place for me at Mt. Wilson. I started off at the bottom, but I worked my way up. When I left, I was in charge of the big telescope up there. My time up there, away from everything, really helped in my healing. It was hard coming back here, to the big city, but thanks to Raj, I've been pretty good. I owe him a lot."

"Did anyone despite that one friend help you?" he asked her. He sensed that friends had been few and far between for her at that time.

"You know how academia is, cut throat competition for tenure, which I was up for before the drinking started. I had very few friends. Paul's friends and family also deserted me, they were angry I got his money, which I couldn't have cared less about. I just felt very alone, very afraid, and very hopeless about the future. Drink seemed a good sort of escape. Crazy thinking, huh?" She admitted. "I hope you don't think too badly of me."

Sheldon took a moment to be thankful for his friends. They had all been there for him in so many ways after Amy's passing. He couldn't imagine being alone at that time. His heart went out to Niki. How could people be so cruel as to leave her alone at a time like that? Sheldon put down his glass of water and smiled at his assistant. "Why on earth would I think badly of you? You overcame a great deal. You had a problem and you handled it. I respect that. I suppose it would be in bad taste to offer to buy you a drink?"

Niki returned Sheldon's smile with a great sense of relief, "I don't drink anymore, but I'm always up for coffee or tea."

"Tea it is. Let's each pour ourselves a cup and drink to the partnership of Cooper and Horner. To great things!"

"To great things! May our collaboration 'Live long and prosper'."

You love Star Trek, too?" he asked incredulously.

"Not really. But I know you do, Raj told me. So I thought it wouldn't hurt to throw that in there."

At that moment their food arrived and they attacked it with more appetite than either of them had felt in a very long, time. Soon, they settled into a comfortable silence, as only good food and good company can do. Both of them felt that they had just discovered another person that understood where they were coming from without judgment, and that was enough for one evening.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Let's Plan a Party

The next morning found Niki approaching Sheldon's office with some trepidation. She was more than a little unsure of just what her feelings for the man were. There was respect, that was a given, Sheldon was a brilliant physicist, but there was also the fact that he now knew about her past since Paul. _Tread carefully, Nik old girl; maybe he was just being polite yesterday. You can't rely on other people for your well being. You know that. You've been doing just fine on your own, no need to complicate things by getting too chummy with Dr. Cooper._ She straightened her shoulders as she opened the door, steeling herself to project an indifference she was far from feeling. Sheldon looked up from his desk with a warm smile on his face, which threw her completely off of her game.

"I've come up with the most brilliant idea on how to get you away from Raj!" he told her. "Look, all we have to do is introduce you to my group of friends and convince them that you should stay working for me. Raj always bows to peer pressure. He hates to upset people. Come to think of it, that is most likely the reason he is still dating his girlfriend, Emily. He has been talking about breaking up with her for years, but he just can't do it."

"Maybe it's just the good sex." Niki offered with a shrug. She had heard this excuse from Raj any number of times. His quandary regarding Emily was old news to her. Personally, she could not have cared less about Raj's love life. She had her own life to worry about.

"Ahh,I see he has mentioned that to you, also. I'm sure that is part of the reason, but I can't for the life of me see staying with someone for the sake of coitus."

Niki, who kind of could see that, just responded with a vague, "Uh huh. Let's get back to your brilliant idea, how do you propose to convince your friends that it is in Raj's best interests for me to work with you?"

"Oh that! I will invite you over to a dinner party and you will merely impress them with your amazing intellect. Of course, after that, they can't help but see that you should be working with me! Besides that, I think you need a group of fellow females to bond with and these ladies would fit the bill nicely, if you can overlook the fact that Penny, Leonard's wife, never finished community college."

Niki was not at all sure about this plan. How were her brains supposed to convince anyone of anything? And what did not finishing college have to do with worthiness? She was having a hard time following Sheldon's line of thinking. The man was truly a puzzle sometimes. "I don't follow you. Why will impressing your friends with my brain make them take your side in this?"

"Oh come now, surely you are kidding me! Don't you agree the most brilliant scientists belong working together? Your talents are entirely wasted working for Koothrappali!"

Niki just shook her head, "And you believe your friends will align with this thinking, do you? I must admit, I have my doubts. Besides, Raj is brilliant, too." She was very fond of Raj and did not like to hear Sheldon belittle him this way.

Sheldon came over and patted her on the shoulder, "Fear not, little lady. I know my friends and there is no way they would want you working with Raj instead of me. After all, while Raj is intelligent enough, they all know I am the smartest member of our little social circle. Of course they will easily see that your talents are being wasted with Raj, a man who doesn't even know how to break up with his own girlfriend."

Niki stared at Sheldon, wondering how a man gifted with such a high IQ could be so dense, but she held her tongue. It _would_ be nice to meet his friends and it had been ages since she had been to a dinner party. She decided to play along, "Sure, Dr. Cooper, of course they will see that."

"Good. Friday night, about 7:00?" he asked, "Will that work for you?"

"That will work fine. Now, do you want me to continue with our work from yesterday?" Niki gestured towards the whiteboard, half-filled with incomplete equations.

"Oh, yes, of course. Please do." Sheldon responded, trying to avoid gazing into her eyes. He could not bear the thought of losing Dr. Horner to Raj. He had made so much progress on this hypothesis since Niki had come to work for him and he didn't want to stop the momentum. He told himself once again that his plan to keep her with him would work. It had to! His future Noble Prize depended on it! For a moment, Sheldon wondered if he was being more than a bit selfish, then dismissed the thought. He was Dr. Sheldon Cooper, and his work never took a backseat to anything, even the feelings of one of his best friends. Sheldon paused and scolded himself. _Stop that! Raj has been one of your closest friends for many years now. Especially since Amy has been gone. Raj has been nothing but a pillar of support. Isn't my work more important than his, though? And surely Dr. Horner understands where I am coming from. She is a fellow scientist and realizes how important this work is! I must find a way to keep Niki and not lose Raj's friendship. I'm a genius, so I should be more than capable of coming up with a brilliant solution to all of this. This little get together is only the preliminary move of my master plan._

Niki noticed Sheldon staring at her intently and then watched him quickly turn away. Once again she wondered how such an intelligent man could be so dense.

Sheldon went home that evening and while talking with Leonard, broached the subject of having a dinner party. "It might be fun, Leonard, to invite someone besides Howard and Raj and their female counterparts over on Friday evening to have some fun. Perhaps dinner and some lively discussion?"

Leonard stared at his roommate. Sheldon Cooper never invited people to their home. Ever. He knew his wily friend was up to something, but darned if he could figure out what it was. "Okaaay Sheldon, who would you have us invite? Is your mother or Meemaw in town? Or your sister? Who is it?"

"Oh, none of them. I was thinking of inviting Niki over for dinner. She has been such a help to me while Koothrappali has been away, I think this could be a way of thanking her for all she has done."

"Let me get this straight, Sheldon. You want to _thank_ someone for something they have done for you? Did Hell freeze over or something?"

"Don't be ridiculous, Leonard, it's just that this woman has been an excellent assistant and her work has been more than satisfactory. What could have been a complete disaster has actually worked out quite well. Don't you think inviting her for dinner is called for? It's not like we're strangers to her. We could even invite Howard and Bernadette if they can get a sitter."

Now Leonard _knew_ something was up. In all the years he had known Sheldon, he had never heard him invite Howard and his wife over to dinner on his own. Leonard just had to see where this would lead, "Sure buddy, we can do that. I'll call Howard tonight and see if they can come. Any ideas on what we should have for dinner?"

"I should think some Thai food would suffice, unless Penny wants to make something?" Sheldon volunteered.

"No," Leonard blanched and shook his head, "Thai will be good." All Penny would need was to be hit with not only an unexpected dinner party and guest, but having to cook for everyone as well. That would more than likely put her over the edge. It wasn't nice when Penny was put over the edge, so Leonard agreed to take out. He was still curious as to what Sheldon was up to, but there was nothing for him to do but wait and find out on Friday. His roommate never revealed any of his ulterior motives unless forced to, and Leonard had no reason to force him at this point. He would just bide his time until Friday night.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Planning and Scheming in a Blue Fitted Suit

Niki peered into her closet, attempting to find the perfect outfit to wear to tonight's dinner party. Were these people casual dressers or did they love to dress up for these sort of occasions? She only really knew Sheldon and Leonard and you couldn't tell much by them about how their women dressed for dinner parties. They both seemed to favor dark pants with super hero or science-themed t shirts. Also, windbreakers and hoodies seemed to rule the day more often than not. But maybe they dressed up on nights they had guests? Sheldon said they were inviting another friend of his from Caltech and his wife to join them. She hadn't a clue about them, so it made picking the proper clothes for tonight even more difficult. Finally she settled on her standard after hours uniform; a blue jewel-toned silk blouse and black dress slacks. Paired with a pair of simple black pumps and matching handbag, it made a pleasant impression. Not too casual, not too dressy.

Niki hadn't been this nervous about an evening in years and she couldn't quite figure out why. Oh, she knew about Dr. Cooper's ulterior motives, but as these were his friends, she was sure they must know _something_ was going on. Sheldon did not seem the type that suggested inviting guests over without a distinct purpose. She had to laugh to herself at the idea that Sheldon thought these people could be so easily fooled and manipulated. Niki sighed to herself; she had gotten the distinct impression that Sheldon underestimated and felt superior to most people. She found that trait somewhat annoying and exasperating, but she had decided to accept it as part of his personality. She was quite sure she was not alone in this. Most people who were close to Sheldon probably felt much the same way. Still, she couldn't help but feel a little nervous. Maybe Sheldon would be on his best behavior tonight. She really hoped so. It had been a long time since she had been social in any way and she hoped she wouldn't make a fool of herself…or make any enemies, in the process. Sheldon being Sheldon could set her up for either of these outcomes. Why had she agreed to this in the first place? Oh yeah, to keep him happy and pacified. She wondered if anyone else he knew did that and was sure they did. Niki slipped a pair of silver hoop earrings in her ears and checked herself in the mirror. She looked fine, what was there to worry about? A lot, that's what! She got the feeling that an evening with Sheldon Cooper and his friends would be anything but ordinary.

Suddenly, Niki heard a knock at her door, actually three knocks. _(Knock, knock, knock), Niki. (Knock, knock, knock), Niki. ( Knock, knock, knock), Niki._ She recognized Sheldon's voice but wondered, _Why would he knock on someone's door like that?_ "Just a minute!" she called out and hurried to open the door. Niki took a step back in amazement. Dr. Sheldon Cooper, PhD, ScD, stood in front of her, looking like a dream. He was wearing a dark blue, fitted suit, which not only brought out the gorgeousness of his blue eyes, but fit his long, lean, frame perfectly. On impulse, Niki gasped, "Dr. Cooper?"

"Who else would I be? I was myself two minutes ago, before I knocked on your door and I assure you, I am still me at this moment." He replied, puzzled.

"Why are you here? I thought we were meeting at your place."

"We are. Why wouldn't we? As you are my guest, I am just fulfilling my gentlemanly obligations and escorting you there."

"Oh, of course. Well, let me grab my purse and we can leave."

"Fine. Now, if I'm to be honest, I do have another reason for meeting you here." Sheldon confessed to her as they headed for the elevator.

"Okay, what is it?" Niki asked him, slightly intrigued. The man was unusual, that was a given, but that very fact often piqued her curiosity, like now. Sheldon was anything but boring. Perhaps that was part of his charm.

"I thought I'd take this time to give you a sort of primer on tonight's guest list. The more you know the better this will work. Don't you agree?"

"Of course, proceed." Secretly, Niki was glad Sheldon had thought of this. Forewarned was forearmed, so to speak.

"Okay," Sheldon replied as he pushed the down button for the elevator. "You already know Leonard, so I will skip him."

"Sheldon, I hardly know the man. He's your friend, not mine." They both entered the elevator and faced each other.

"You knew him well enough to ask him for a ride to and from work. I call that being fairly comfortable with someone, don't you?"

"Look, all I know is that he is a sweet guy who goes out of his way to be nice to people. But that's all."

"That's all you need to know. That is the essence of Leonard. He is not complex. However, let me tell you about his wife, Penny."

Niki felt her stomach tighten, "What about her?"

"Well, first, Penny isn't as intelligent as the rest of us that will be there. I mean, she worked as a waitress while trying to be an actress. Her dropping out of community college I already informed you about." Sheldon rolled his eyes as he spoke.

Niki felt the need to defend this woman in her absence. "There's nothing wrong with that, Sheldon. Really. What does she do now?"

"Penny is currently employed as a pharmaceutical sales rep. She's done that for a few years now."

"Well, that takes some brains, plus a personality that can sell things. God knows I couldn't do it."

"Why on earth would you want to?" Sheldon asked her incredulously as the doors opened on the elevator and they made their exit. "And, yes, I suppose Penny does have a certain amount of social intelligence, I'll give her that. But, she considers herself the most attractive female in the room…at all times. Keep that in mind."

"So what do I do?" she asked him in a worried tone.

"Oh, that's simple. If she wants you to join her for some of what she likes to call "girl talk", do it. It will be an easy way to get on her good side. Also, when it comes to Penny, just compliment her on her makeup, clothes, shoes, or hair. You'll be good to go. Like most women, she is rather vain, but she does have a good heart. I don't see why women need compliments all the time. It makes it very trying to be around most of them. I'm so glad you aren't like that."

"Yeah, okay." Niki sighed, wishing Sheldon _would_ compliment her on something besides her work once in awhile, but now saw that would not be happening. "The next person on the list?" she asked hoping to move the conversation along. They were rapidly approaching his building and she didn't want them running out of time.

"Oh, that would be Howard and his wife, Bernadette. Howard is short, Jewish, and insecure, though he tries to come off as a real macho man. His wife is even shorter, but is brilliant in her own way." Sheldon further explained, "They also have a small child they are both very devoted to."

"And what do they do?" Niki asked him. She was starting to get a better mental picture of this group. All, except Penny, college educated and professionals. She wanted to see if Howard and his wife fit this mold.

"Howard, like Penny, is not as intelligent as the rest of us, he only has a Master's degree and he works as an engineer for NASA. Cal Tech has been borrowing him from them for some time now. The highlight of his life was when he went into space and was on the International Space Station for awhile."

Niki was shocked at Sheldon's casual dismissal of this fact. "Wow! That's totally cool! I've never met someone who's actually been in space before." Niki was now excited to meet Howard. "Where did Howard do his Master's?"

Sheldon stopped and thought a moment, 'MIT, I believe."

"How can you say Howard is not intelligent? MIT is one tough school!"

"He only has a Master's and works as an engineer." Sheldon answered her testily, as if that should explain everything.

Niki gave up; there was no sense in pressing the matter. "Okay, let's move on." She could see they were in front of his building, "And Howard's wife, Bernadette?"

"Oh, Bernadette is very bright and is well versed in all the sciences. I quite like her. She works as a microbiologist. She is always busy trying to wipe out virulent strains of some hideous disease or another. How a sane woman of high intellect can work with germs and viruses is beyond me, but she is quite good at it."

"Okay, how do I get in good with these two?"

"I would ask Howard about going into space, but cut him off if he gets long- winded, which he most likely will. Bernadette, just talk about her work, she is very involved in it. Also, ask her about their child. She will light up like an incandescent bulb. Another thing, as she is female, a compliment on her looks here and there wouldn't hurt, though she is not as dependent on them as Penny seems to be. Still," Sheldon mused, "make the attempt now and again."

"Got it. Is that all?"

Sheldon made a motion for them to sit on the bottom step of the stairs just inside the building, "No, there is one more thing."

What?

"Well, in order for them to accept you as a good friend and help us to get you free from Raj, I would suggest we hint that we are more than just work partners."

"What do you mean…?" Niki couldn't believe her ears.

Sheldon looked at her intently, "It wouldn't hurt to have them believe we may have a somewhat intimate relationship, more than professional associates."

"Dr. Cooper, aside from one dinner where we talked about our late spouses, we have not been together after hours since my car was fixed. How are we supposed to pull that off? I can't lie about something like that!"

"I see. That _does_ present a problem. I have trouble stretching the truth myself. You're right; we must make our story believable." Sheldon tapped his forehead with his index finger, thinking deeply, "Wait, I do believe I have the perfect solution! We could actually make an attempt to become friends. That would eliminate the need for subterfuge. Me first. Do you like comic books?"

"Some of them. Not the superhero ones, though."

Sheldon looked crestfallen. "No Justice League, Superman, The Hulk, any of those?"

Nike gave the sad-looking man a crooked smile, "I'm afraid not. But I love Archie comics, and Tom and Jerry…" she suddenly stopped when Sheldon gave her a pained look. "Do you like the beach? I spend a lot of time there."

"My God, woman! The beach? A more unsanitary place than the beach does not exist. You might as well go sit in a garbage dump."

Niki started to believe a friendship with this odd man was not in the cards. However, she tried one last time to find a common interest between them. Turning to him, she asked the million dollar question, "Well, do you like trains?"

Sheldon's turned quickly to face her, his face beaming. "Trains? I adore trains! I once took some time off from life and spent it traveling the country by train."

"I love trains, too!" Niki exclaimed happily. "I never fly when I can take the train. Have you ever ridden the Surfrider up or down the coast?"

"Once, on the way to a convention up north. It was wonderful, even if my friends did not share my enthusiasm. They had wanted to fly up there, though God alone knows why. Let's do that sometime. We could go up to Santa Barbara together. You could visit the beach while I hit some wonderful comic book shops they have there."

"I have a counter proposal. We spend some time at the beach together, don't give me that look, we will not be sitting on a blanket in the sand. We will have lunch by the beach, take a walk and admire the ocean, and then head off to some comic book stores. That's what real friends would do."

"Okay, I accept that proposal. It actually does sound like fun. Then we could have some dinner at a nice restaurant and head home. Oh, it would be the perfect day!"

"Agreed. Now, let's select a time and date for this trip." Niki was starting to get excited. Sheldon was right, that _would_ be the perfect day!

"How about Sunday? We could avoid the Saturday crowds and with any luck, find the train and the restaurants uncrowded. Does this sound like a feasible plan?"

Niki nodded and studied Sheldon's face. He looked like a ten-year-old at Christmas. But she most likely looked close to the same. At least now they shared something besides science and a dead spouse. It was a move in the right direction.

Finally, Sheldon spoke, almost in a mumble, "I almost forgot to tell you, you look very nice tonight. I think my friends will like you very much."

"And if they don't?" she asked him, a challenging look on her face.

"I really don't care anymore," he admitted to himself as much as to her. "While I hope they approve of you and enjoy your company, I will be my usual ego-centric self and honestly tell you that it doesn't matter what they think. I like you and I am going to keep you as my partner."

"You mean assistant, don't you?"

"I never misspeak. I meant partner. I will talk to the President about it on Monday. I'd like to keep Raj in the study if we can. He is my friend and a most valuable part of this entire operation."

"Of course. Raj is a gifted scientist. He is part of this team, plus, he brought us together. Between the three of us, we should be able to do amazing things." Niki thought hard for a moment, "Sheldon?"

"Yes?"

"I have to confess to you that I think you look very handsome tonight and I can't wait to meet your friends."

"Good. Now let's continue up the stairs to the apartment, shall we?"

"No elevator?" she asked, eyeing the tape across the elevator doors.

"No," Sheldon shook his head, "it's been broken for years."

"How did that happen?"

"That's a long story. Would you care to hear it some night over dinner? "

"That sounds like a plan." She responded. Still, the idea of an actual friendship with Sheldon Cooper was a tad disconcerting. _Was he up to that? Was she? Nothing to do but find out, I guess._ She mused to herself. This evening was getting curiouser and curiouser.

"I do believe we should get going," he said with an uncertain smiled as he stood up and offered her his hand, "time to meet 'the gang'."

Niki rose from her seat on the steps and followed Sheldon upstairs. He was a strange man, but very interesting. She was both curious and eager to see just where this evening would go.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Well, Hello There. Nice to Meet You

After Sheldon had left to get Niki, an interesting conversation began in apartment 5B, their home for the last several years. "Leonard, why did Sheldon invite this assistant of his over for dinner? He's never done anything like that before."

"I don't have a clue, Penny," Leonard answered her, "but I'm sure we will find out before the evening's over."

"What about us?" Bernadette piped up, "Why are we here? I've never noticed Sheldon including Howie and me in his social plans unless there was something in it for him, or unless you and Raj forced him to, which I don't think is the case here."

"Like I said, I don't have a clue. I guess we'll just have to wait to find out."

"Well, I'm all excited to meet Sheldon Cooper's assistant…NOT!" Howard chimed in emphatically. "This better be good. Bernie and I just paid through the nose for a sitter. I don't trust Sheldon not to be up to something. Besides, what's this woman like? An anti-social, egotistic, pain-in-the-patootie like Sheldon? I'll bet she's a real dog."

"Actually," Leonard explained, "she's kind of funny and very smart. And she's not a dog, Howard, she's nice looking."

"Exactly _how_ nice looking, Leonard?" Penny questioned him. "Besides that, why is she coming here and why did Sheldon think it was so important for us to meet her?"

"Relax, Honey." Leonard answered in an attempt to placate his wife, "She's nice enough looking, but she can't hold a candle to you. And as I've told all of you before, I don't know why Sheldon is doing this."

Penny visibly relaxed at Leonard's words and wondered to herself just what kind of woman hung around with Sheldon Cooper on her free time. Not one female had been interested in doing that since Amy. She supposed she would find out soon enough and began setting up the coffee table with some drinks and simple hors d'oeuvres. They soon heard voices outside the door and prepared themselves to meet Sheldon's guest.

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Sheldon opened the door and viewed the scene in front of him with curiosity. They were all staring at him and Niki in a very uncomfortable manner. _Well, nothing to do but start the introductions. Maybe that will suffice to wipe those ridiculous looks off of their faces._

"Good evening, everyone. I'd like to introduce you to my interim assistant, Dr. Nikita Horner, who has been filling in for Raj. Niki, you know Leonard from work."

"Hello, Leonard." She greeted him with a smile. "Nice to see you again. "

Sheldon spoke again and pointed to the attractive blonde woman next to Leonard, "Niki, I'd like to introduce you to Leonard's wife, Penny."

"Hello, Penny. Sheldon has told me so many good things about you. I almost feel as if I already know you."

Penny was shocked; this woman was not what she had expected. Niki Horner had a warm, friendly manner and was fairly attractive for her age. Penny was put immediately at ease, as Niki had intended her to be. "Hi, Niki." Penny returned the greeting, but arched one eyebrow in a somewhat worried fashion, "What exactly has Sheldon told you about me?"

"That you work as a pharmaceutical rep, that you have a very kind heart, and that you Leonard are great together." _Might as well lay it on thick, Sheldon wants me to impres_ s _her. But she does seem nice, and…_ "Oh my God!" Niki exclaimed, "Is that a Michael Kors bag? I've been wanting one of those for ages!" She could almost feel Sheldon grinning with approval next to her.

Penny beamed and picked up the bag from the floor next to where she was standing, "Christmas present from Leonard. I know, isn't it gorgeous?"

"Absolutely. I've been wanting one of those forever, I'm totally jealous!" Niki hoped she was making points with Penny. Surprisingly, she really did want Penny to like her. She felt a sort of kindred, wild spirit with her after only a few moments.

Sheldon watched the interchange between the two ladies and was very pleased with Niki. _Good girl!_ He purred to himself. "Okay, girls, lets break this up for now. Niki, I'd like you to meet Howard Wolowitz. Howard and I have known each other for years."

"Hi, Howard." Nike turned and focused her attention on the small man in front of her. "Sheldon tells me you work for NASA and traveled to the Space Station. That must have been an amazing experience!"

Howard smiled at Niki, "Oh, it was. Sometime I'd love to tell you about it .Oh, by the way Niki, did Sheldon make his usual digs to you about my work and education?"

 _Wow, Sheldon was right, he is insecure. Well, I won't lie, I just won't tell the complete truth._ "Well, he told me you work for NASA as an engineer and that you graduated from MIT, but not much more than that. Oh, he also told me you were married and had a child.

"Yes, this is my wife, Bernadette," he said, putting his arm around a small blonde with glasses. "Our kid is at home with the sitter."

"Oh yes, Bernadette! How nice to meet you. Sheldon tells me you are a microbiologist. That must be very interesting work. Kind of like studying the inhabitants of inner space."

"And finding ways to wipe out their entire populations!" she responded with glee.

"That's one way of looking at it." Niki smiled at Bernadette. She liked her spunk. A friend like this could come in very handy. _What else had Sheldon told her about saying to Bernadette? Oh yeah, flatter her a little._ "Who does your hair, Bernadette? That cut and color is so flattering on you. I wish I could get my mop to look that good."

Bernadette beamed and took the bait, "Oh, I go to a salon on Green Street. If you want, I'll introduce you to my stylist."

"That would be cool. I haven't had the chance to find a good place since I've been down here. "

At this point, Sheldon interjected. "Dr. Horner spent two years running the big telescope at the Mount Wilson Observatory. She's only been down here a few months now, working at Cal Tech. She's been a great help to me since Koothrappali has been gone."

Penny noticed the looks that had been exchanged between Niki and Sheldon. _I'll bet she has, my friend._ She wasn't stupid, she saw something there she couldn't put her finger on, friendship? Or more? She was eager to get this woman alone and pump her full of questions. _Patience, patience. I'll find out soon enough what's up. And then I'll share it with everybody. Anyway, introductions were over and_ _it was time_ _to start the party_. _This should be good. I wonder if Leonard has figured out yet why Sheldon brought Niki over tonight._ _._ She grinned to herself; it was going to be so much fun finding out. For now, she was just going to sit back and enjoy the show.

Twenty minutes later, they were all sitting in the living room, around the coffee table. Niki listened as the friends made friendly small talk amongst themselves. They included her in the conversation often enough to keep it from feeling awkward, but she still felt much as she did back in school, when she moved so often that she was always the 'new kid'. Still, this was a friendly group and as the conversation continued, Niki began to relax. She liked these people. They were intelligent, passionate, friendly, and informal. Attributes she had always preferred in her friends.

After all the food had been eaten and the conversation had died down, Penny piped up, "Hey, Bernie, let's leave the guys to talk Star Trek and comic books and take Niki out for a drink!"

"Yeah, we'd love the chance to get to know you without the guys around." Bernie gestured towards her husband and his friends.

Niki was torn. She truly wanted to go with these ladies, she liked them already, but drinking? That was something she did not do anymore. How to respond without telling too much? She suddenly remembered Sheldon's directive, _"If she wants you to join her for some of what she likes to call 'girl talk', do it. It will be an easy way to get on her good side."_ Niki took a deep breath and responded in what she hoped was an enthusiastic voice, "Sure, I'd love to." She threw Sheldon an uncertain look, to which he answered with a nod and a smile.

As the girls headed out the door, Penny laughed and looked back at the boys, "Don't wait up!"

"Oh, we won't. We're fine right here!" Sheldon cheerfully replied and grinned to himself, Just _as I planned. She'll have them eating out of the palm of her hand within half an hour._


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Bottoms Up

The bar Penny took them to was far from a dive. It was a high end establishment where they were able to get a small private room for themselves. Once seated, Penny and Bernadette began peppering her with questions.

"So," Penny began, "what's it like working with Mr. Anal?"

 _Mr. Anal? I thought these people were friends?_ Niki studied the room for a moment, looked over at Penny with what she hoped was an earnest expression and said, "Actually, it's very interesting. Sheldon is one of the best at what he does, so I'm learning a lot."

Penny laughed, "I didn't mean what the actual work was like; I meant, how you are getting along with Sheldon? I know I couldn't work for him. He'd drive me nuts!"

"Well, he's different at work. He's pretty quiet and placid for the most part. If I have a question, well, he can always answer it."

"At length, I'll bet!" Bernadette interjected.

Niki threw her a grin. "Not really. He's not too talkative at work. I guess he believes that would take too much time away from our research. But after hours, yeah, he does open up a bit more."

"Woooo!" Penny and Bernie both squealed at the mention of 'after hours'. "How much time have you spent with him outside of work? " Bernadette asked her with a lascivious grin.

"Relax, girls. We had dinner one night to discuss a matter from work." Niki hoped they would both buy the lie, she didn't feel like revealing too much about that night to virtual strangers. "Tonight is only the second time we've seen each other outside of the office, if you don't count Leonard giving us both a ride home a couple of times. Those two seem pretty tight. How long have they known each other? I know Sheldon counts you and Leonard as his two best friends." There, she hoped that would stop the Sheldon bashing. She knew they meant it in a loving way, but it still bothered her a bit.

Penny thought for a moment, "Actually, Leonard has known Sheldon longer than me. So…I'm going to guess they've been friends about 15 years or so. Boy, that's a long time. He's known Howard almost as long, and Raj, too. Boy, time _does_ fly, doesn't it?"

"So," Bernie continued, "if you don't go out with Sheldon very often, why did he have this dinner party and invite you to it? Sheldon is not a very social person. He knew Amy for months before he ever went on a date with her."

"Yeah," Penny added, looking up from the drink menu, "he's not real smooth with the ladies, that's for sure. But, he did care for Amy and never, ever, cheated on her. You've got to give the guy that. That's one of Sheldon's best traits, he's loyal as Hell."

"Well, that's good to hear. I was thinking he'd be a good friend. As to why he planned tonight, maybe he just wanted me to meet his friends. I don't know." Again, she hoped they would buy the lie. This was getting a little tricky. "Can I ask you guys a question?"

"Sure," Penny replied, "ask away."

"Why does Sheldon bag on some of the people he knows so much? He kind of throws these little digs in at Howard and Leonard sometimes. Has he always been like that?"

"And me, don't forget me. He never fails to mention that I dropped out of community college."

"I know, right?" Niki nodded at Penny, "I would think he'd be impressed with what you've accomplished. I'll bet you earn more than him. Am I right?" She really wanted to understand Sheldon better and these two had known him for years. Maybe they could help her.

"Well, he's the senior whatever he is at the college, so I don't know if I actually earn more than him, but I'd say it's pretty close to what he earns." Penny explained, "I do make a bit more than Leonard, though." She added as an afterthought.

"So why is Sheldon like that? It's obvious he doesn't equate worth with earnings. What is it with him?"

"Cut the guy some slack." Penny pleaded with her, "He improved on a lot with that stuff when he was with Amy, but since she's been gone, he's gone back to being his annoying former self. I think a lot of it is repressed anger and sadness. I hope you can help him with that. You've seemed to have handled your grief much better.

Niki panicked inside at that comment, so she decided to change the subject. "Can I tell you something that you can't tell Sheldon? EVER?"

"Sure, what is it?" Penny answered with a nod.

"He has told me he would have been lost without you guys after Amy died. He really does appreciate what you and Leonard have done for him, even if he never admits it to you."

Yeah, I know. That's why he's still living with us. We know his pain runs pretty deep. That's why we're kind of glad you're spending time with him. Maybe you can help him heal."

"You know, finding a lady friend might just be good for Sheldon. He's been kinda keeping to himself since Amy has been gone. You might be just what the doctor ordered." Bernie remarked to Niki, a definite teasing tone in her voice.

"Look, we're just coworkers, maybe casual friends, but anything more than that, no. Neither one of us is looking for that!"

Penny looked a bit surprised at Niki, the girl really felt strongly about that. Now she was _really_ curious. "Why not? I know he's kinda weird,"

"Kinda?" Bernie chirped.

"Okay, really weird, but he's a good guy and you've got to admit, he cleans up pretty well."

Niki mused a few seconds on how good Sheldon had looked in that suit. Yep, the guy did, as Penny so succinctly put it, clean up pretty well. Still…it would never happen. There wasn't enough of her heart left to share and she was fairly certain Sheldon was feeling much the same. "Oh, he's nice enough looking, but I'm not interested in men right now."

"You mean…you're gay? Not that there's anything wrong with that, …" Penny was now truly flustered. She could have sworn this one was straight.

Niki shook her head and gave Penny a grin, "No, I'm not gay. I'm a widow. It's been three years since I lost my husband, and I'm just not ready to date right now. But friends are always welcome. And I'd like to be a good friend to Sheldon, even if that surprises most people." She turned a warm smile on both of the women next to her, hoping that answer would kill their curiosity about her and Sheldon. She wasn't sure what she felt for him, or vice versa, and she sure didn't want to explore that in a bar.

Both Penny and Bernadette instantly felt guilty. Penny tried her best to rectify things. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know that. It must be really hard to go through that. Is that why you were up at Mt. Wilson?"

"Yeah, that's why, mostly." How much was she willing to tell these two about that time in her life? She decided that at this point, they would only be given details of her life on a need to know basis. In time, she might tell them more, but not tonight. Thankfully, there were no more questions from either of them about that.

"Hey," Penny smiled, "let's get down to the fun stuff. What are we having to drink? Bernie, your usual?"

"Sure," Bernie answered uncertainly, "but not too much. I have a child at home and I have to get there in one piece. Remember? I'm driving tonight, Howie insisted."

Niki was thankful for the change of subject, she decided to run with it, "Is you child a boy or a girl? I forgot what Sheldon told me."

"We have a little girl. She's eight now. Her name's Kelly."

"I'll bet she's beautiful! Do you have any pictures? Niki asked, leaning forward excitedly. She loved children and knew that parents loved talking about their children to others. She hoped this would be an excellent way of making Bernadette Wolowitz her friend.

Penny rolled her eyes, "Does she have pictures! Oh my God, girl, now you've opened Pandora's Box! We are now going to spend the next hour extolling the virtues of Bernie's daughter. I thought we were going to have us a girl's night out."

"Relax, we are." The little blonde soothed her friend, "I'm just going to show her a couple of pictures and then we will get down to serious girl talk." Bernie dug in her purse, found her phone, and proceeded to show Niki several shots of her adorable daughter. Niki thought the little girl was cute as a button and made a mental note to not tell Bernie that her daughter was lucky in that she resembled her mother more than her father. Some people were touchy about that kind of thing. Still, this little girl had definitely gotten lucky in the gene lottery.

Eventually Penny pleaded, "Okay, she's seen the Kelly pictures, now can we order us some drinks?"

Niki was frantic. _Oh boy, how do I get out of drinking with these two? I can't lie, but I don't know them well enough to tell them the truth. What can I do? I know! I'll just tell her sort of the truth minus the details._ "I'm sorry, Penny, but I don't really drink. I have bad reactions to alcohol. But I'd love a Virgin Colada."

"Oh, okay. That's cool, nothing to apologize for. I often have bad reactions to alcohol myself. Unlike you, I'm not smart enough to stop drinking.' Penny smiled warmly at the woman next to her, "Well, let's order."

"How about you and I splitting a bottle of Chardonnay?" Bernie suggested. "That way, we can each drink as much as we want. You can have a lot and I can have 'not so much a lot'."

"I'll go for that." Penny motioned the cocktail waitress into their room, "One bottle of Chardonnay, two glasses, and one Virgin Colada. That'll do it."

As the waitress left, Penny settled back into her seat and declared, "Girls Night Out has now officially begun!. Our first order of business is getting to know Ms. Niki, or do you prefer Dr. Horner? Sheldon loves it when people use his title."

"Niki will be fine. I don't like being addressed as Dr. Horner unless it's professionally. I guess I'm a pretty informal person in that regards."

"What is Niki short for?" Bernie asked her, "Nicole?"

"No, it's short for Nikita. I know, I know, that's a man's name, but my mom loved it, so I'm Nikita."

"Niki it is!" Penny exclaimed. She would ask her more about her name later, she had more important things she wanted to find out about this lady. She seemed very nice, very friendly, and very guarded. She was going to find out just what Dr. Nikita Horner was hiding no matter what it took. Tonight was a good start, but she couldn't probe too hard right away about some things, like about why she didn't drink or why she was keeping Sheldon at arm's length. _All in good time, I suppose. Oh good, here come our drinks!_

Two hours later, the evening was drawing to a close and Niki, Penny, and Bernadette were heading out the door of the bar towards the parking garage. They walked along with little conversation, each woman lost in her own thoughts.

 _I hope I made a good impression on them. Sheldon would like that. Okay, I have to admit I'd like that, too. They both seem fun and I could stand to make a girlfriend or two. Bernie's so adorable and intelligent and Penny is very sweet and quick-witted! It's been a long time since I've had the chance to make any female friends. Tonight was pretty enjoyable. I'd really love to do it again. I know they were good friends with Amy, so it may be a bit awkward at first, but I'd really like to get to know these two._

 _Oh God, I think I had too much to drink tonight. I hope Howie is willing to drive home. From here to Penny's place isn't far, but going all the way to Alta Dena may be a bit much. Why do I always do this when I'm out with Penny? Tonight was fun, though. I like Niki, I really do. . She's really smart, like Amy. Maybe we could get together on our own without Penny sometime. I like the idea of an evening without drinking once in awhile. I wonder what reaction she has to alcohol, why she doesn't drink. Doesn't matter, she could be my sober friend and our designated driver. Goodness knows we could use one._

 _I think I drank too much again. Leonard isn't going to like that. Why didn't we stop at one bottle? I got Bernie drunk, too. That isn't good. Howard will be so pissed! Oh well… Niki is nice, but there's something she's not telling us. I'll bet it has something to do with why she doesn't drink. Why is she so sure she won't date Sheldon? I can so see them with each other. They'd be real cute together. Oh God, now I know I drank too much. I'm shipping Sheldon Cooper with someone._

 _Penny has a funny look in her eye when she talks about Sheldon. It's almost like she's desperate to get us together or something. That's ridiculous! Sheldon is smart and kind of nice looking, but he's so uptight and rigid. What would he see in someone like me who's a very free spirit and vice versa? Nothing, that's what. We work well together and I think we would make good friends, but that's all. Now to get Penny to see that… Besides, no one can ever replace Paul, no one._

 _It's a good thing Howie is with me. He's so reliable at times like this. Who would have thought that ten years ago? Having Kelly has really made him a better man. Heck, it's made me a better woman, too. Funny how kids can change you. I wonder if Niki has a child. I'll have to ask her sometime. She sure seems like she would be a good mother. Now Penny? It's best I don't go there. I love her to death, but, yeah, not mother material._

 _I am going to be so hung over tomorrow. I hope Leonard isn't feeling frisky tonight. That is definitely not happening. We shouldn't have had that much to drink. Niki is the smart one there. Hey, I'll invite Niki to go out with us next weekend and have her drive! Penny, you're a genius. I still haven't figured out why Sheldon wanted us to meet Niki, but I'm glad he did. I like her._

When they reached the car, Niki quickly snatched the keys from Penny and poured the other two ladies into the car. After making sure they were safely buckled in, she started the car and took off for home.

Back at the Hofstadter household, after a rousing game of D & D, the men were each lost in their own thoughts as well.

 _It's been more than two hours. I hope Bernie doesn't come back drunk again. Leave it to Penny to get them all wasted. Again. I don't want to act like Bernie's father or anything, but I don't feel like I should always be the one driving home, paying the sitter, and then checking in on Kelly. It's getting really old. I don't mind her going out with the girls, but couldn't she stay sober once in awhile?_

 _I wonder if Penny has a drinking problem. It seems she has to drink every time she goes out with Bernie. Heck, she drinks every day after work and all day long on the weekends. It's getting a little out- of -hand lately. Maybe I should talk to her. I don't want to sound like her father or anything, but I also don't want to have to identify her body in the morgue one night._

 _I think I have to void my bladder._

 _I love Bernie, but sooner or later she is going to have to admit that she isn't a young, carefree, childless person anymore. We have a child. We have to grow up and make mature decisions about things like this. Wait. I said that? Oh brother. Talk about role reversals!_

 _What can I say to Penny that I haven't already said? She always gets so angry and defensive. Blames her lousy job and all of that. Hey, it isn't my fault she never finished college and took a job she hated. I would almost rather she went back to acting, at least she was happy. Broke, but happy._

 _Yes, I'm certain I have to urinate._

After Sheldon returned from his trip to the restroom, the front door opened and Niki entered, supporting Penny on side and Bernie on the other. "Hey, someone want to help me with these two? They're getting kind of heavy."

 **Fasten your seat belts. It's going to get real good, real fast.**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: **Just Rolling Along.**

Thirty hours later, Niki and Sheldon were sitting across the table from each other on the Amtrak Surfrider, heading north to Santa Barbara. All was quiet. Sheldon was immersed in a comic book and Niki was intently reading a biography of Marie Curie. Suddenly, Niki spoke up, "Sheldon, whatever happened with Penny and Bernadette after I left? I hope they weren't in too much trouble with Leonard and Howard."

Sheldon peered at her over the top of his comic book, "How should I know? By the time I got back from walking you home everyone was gone. I am going to assume the Wolowitz' were headed home and Penny and Leonard must have gone to bed. I don't really care one way or the other, I'm just glad they liked you."

"Where did you hear that?"

"Oh, Penny told me. She asked me to give you her phone number," Sheldon explained as he handed her a scrap of paper pulled from his satchel. "Here you go. She wants you to call her this week. See? I told you they would like you. "

Niki wasn't completely convinced and had to ask him,"What about the others?"

Sheldon let out a sigh and started ticking off points on his fingers, "Don't you worry about that. One, Howard admires anyone female who goes out with Penny and stays sober. Two, Leonard greatly appreciated you making sure the two drunks made it home safely. Three, Bernadette must like you or Penny would never have given you that phone number. Those two are thicker than thieves."

"Well, that's good to hear. You never know with people, and they might have been too drunk to remember much." Niki replied, somewhat mollified.

Sheldon gave one of his classic eye rolls, "I highly doubt Penny would forget. She's had a lot of practice getting drunk. You might say it's often her default. Leonard worries about her sometimes."

"Yeah, she reminds me of me a few years back. It's not pretty to witness. The girls could hardly walk to the car."

"Well, it's not up to us to interfere." Sheldon returned to his comic book.

"Someone interfered when I got that bad, thank God. Penny doesn't have problems at work, does she?"

Sheldon looked up at her, "None that I know of. I do believe she limits her drinking to her free time. I wouldn't exactly call her an alcoholic…yet."

Niki decided to change the subject; it was getting a little depressing for her. "Sheldon, how many times have you been to Santa Barbara?"

"Oh, quite a few. Amy and I used to go up there at least once a month. She loved that place…" Sheldon's voice trailed off to nothing.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring up the past."

"No need to apologize. We should include Amy and Paul in our discussions from time to time. We both decided that talking about them would help us heal. Remember?"

"I remember. It still hurts sometimes, is all."

"My talking about Amy hurts you?" Sheldon asked in a confused voice, "Why?"

"It's not just Amy; it's everything from back then. Paul, teaching, getting my Doctorate, I think I'm ready to put the past in the past sometimes. But then my damn heart won't let me."

Sheldon gave Niki a kind look and spoke softly to her, "Moving on and healing does _not_ mean we forget, it's just that we don't live in the past. We just go back to happily visit it sometimes. I don't think there's anything wrong with that, do you?"

Niki gave Sheldon a grateful smile, "Well, when you put it like that, I see what you mean." Niki looked out the window, "Hey, we're here already. Let's go make us some new Santa Barbara memories, shall we?"

"Agreed. Let's do that. There are some comic book stores I want to visit that I haven't been to in years. I can't wait to show them to you!"

"Oh, great." Niki said out loud. _Oh great!_ She moaned to herself. "But we have to walk the beach and eat first, remember? That was our agreement."

"But it wasn't in writing." Sheldon whined.

"Sheldon…don't start with that stuff." Niki warned him in an ominous tone, "We will see your comic book stores, I promised that, but I want to see the beach first and then get lunch."

"Okay," he relented reluctantly, "but I get to pick where we eat!"

This time it was Niki who rolled her eyes, "Sure, sure. As long as we eat."

"And see the comic book stores!"

"And see the comic book stores." She sighed. _I see why Penny called him Mr. Anal._

Several hours later, Niki stood with Sheldon outside of yet another comic book store. She hadn't wanted to complain, but her feet were killing her. The man must have mapped out the route to every comic book store in Santa Barbara! Now he was talking about visiting some model train hobby shops. Good Lord! Did this man ever stop? Their lunch had been a brief stop for pizza near the pier and then, true to their agreement, they had taken a walk along the beach. But Niki was still trying to justify in her mind how three hours of comic book stores were equal to 30 minutes of a beach walk. For a man as gifted at math as Sheldon was, the unbalanced equation in this had eluded him.

She thought of all the comic books she had seen today and all the comic books she was still sure to see and her mind became frantic. _How am I going to do this? I'm not having any fun walking around all day, and I think I now know all I need or want to know about The Green Lantern, The Hulk, and…WAIT A DAMN MINUTE! I think I know how I can make Sheldon's superhero fixation work for me. Why didn't I think of this before?_ Niki's inspiration was right across the street. "Sheldon, can you wait here a minute? I've got an errand I need to run." She answered his quizzical look with a short, "Souvenirs. Can't forget those darn souvenirs."

"Of course," Sheldon replied. "It's a social convention. One I don't particularly follow, but go ahead. I will wait here. Just don't be all day about it."

"Sheldon, I don't mean to be nosy, but what size shoe do you wear? Just curious."

"11, but why do you need to know?"

"Never mind. Nothing important." Niki took off and yelled over her shoulder, "Back in a few!"

Ten minutes later, Niki reappeared with a two large gift bags. She presented one of them to Sheldon with a mischievous grin on her face. "One for me and one for you."

Sheldon peeped into the bag and gasped, "Rollerblades? What am I supposed to do with a pair of rollerblades?"

"Put them on, of course."

"Are you out of your mind? Sheldon Cooper does not rollerblade!"

"Oh, I thought you would find it fun to be able to move around town like The Flash." She explained with feigned innocence. The look on his face was priceless. His dignity was fighting with his love of this super hero. Love won, as it usually does. Sheldon removed his shoes and put on the skates.

"I have to warn you, I've never done this before."

"You never roller skated as a child?" she asked him incredulously.

"Of course I did."

"Same thing. Come on, we're burning daylight." She handed him his helmet and pads as she put on her own.

Within thirty minutes, the two of them were racing along the beachfront sidewalk, huge smiles spreading across both of their faces. Sheldon Cooper had discovered the pure joy of rollerblading.

Three days later, Penny was walking across the Cal Tech campus on her way to join Leonard for lunch. She heard a "Zoom! Zoom! Zoom! Coming through!" behind her and turned to see Sheldon Cooper racing past her on rollerblades. _What the Hell? Was that Sheldon? I can't wait to tell this one to Leonard!_


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Taking Aim

The middle of the next week found Niki and Sheldon in his office, as usual. Suddenly Sheldon looked up from his work and questioned Niki, "Do you have any plans for this weekend?"

"Just hanging out with Penny and Bernadette on Friday night. Why?" Niki had the sinking suspicion that Sheldon Cooper was up to something. Any innocent question that came from that mouth was likely to be a loaded one. Niki had learned from observation to answer very carefully when this occurred.

"I was just thinking that maybe I could suggest an activity for us this weekend. Santa Barbara was a mutual idea and the rollerblading, wonderful though it is, was yours. I want to have my turn."

While Sheldon's request sounded like that of a petulant child, Niki had to admit that he was right. If they _were_ taking turns, which she hadn't known they were, it was his turn to make the activity selection. She slowly turned to him and cautiously inquired, "What did you have in mind?"

"Paintball."

"PAINTBALL?"

"Yes, paintball. It's a wonderful activity. Rather like a First Person Shooter come to life." Sheldon actually looked excited about this.

"I can't shoot at people with a gun!" Niki protested, horrified at the very thought of it.

"It's not an actual gun." He patiently explained to her, "There are no real bullets. Only paint balls. Hence the name Paint Ball."

"But I've never shot a weapon at anyone." She argued, knowing it was futile as she spoke.

"I had never rollerbladed." Sheldon countered.

"Does it hurt?" she squeaked.

"A little, but only if you get hit." He grinned at her with more than a little enjoyment at her distress.

"Sheldon, I don't know. At least I gave you some motivation for rollerblading. What's my motivation for this?"

"Well, after, I'll take you out to dinner to the restaurant of your choice. That is, if you survive." Again he seemed to revel in her discomfort.

"Sheldon…!"

"Just kidding. Will you please go with me?" he pleaded in his best ten-year-old boy voice. "Leonard and Howard will be there." He added.

"What about Penny and Bernadette?" she asked hopefully.

"They won't be there, fortunately. They're not as adventurous as you are. Come on, we'll have fun, I promise."

"We'd better." She crossed her arms on her chest and warned him, "Or my adventurous days are over."

"Paintball?" Penny shrieked. "He talked you into paintball? What are you, insane?"

Penny, Bernadette, and Niki were sitting on the couch in Niki's apartment, dissecting the latest Niki/Sheldon development.

"Oh, come on, Penny." Niki countered. "Really, what could go wrong?"

"Why don't you ask Bernie? She went paintballing with Howard once. Poor thing was laid up for days."

"Really? Is that true, Bernie?"

"Oh yeah. I haven't had anything that awful happen to me since Howie's mother accidentally sat on me." The little blonde informed her. "Trust me; find a way to get out of it, whatever you do."

"I can't. I promised Sheldon. You know how he is about promises."

"Do I ever!" Penny exclaimed, refilling her drink, "I live with the guy, remember?"

"Maybe you could pretend to be sick." Bernie offered. "He won't want you anywhere near him if you're sick."

"I thought of that, but he'd probably still make me go, or he'd be beyond difficult to work with for awhile. Even if we cancel it because he thinks I'm sick, I work with him. He'll know I was faking it if I come in the next day feeling fine."

"Trust me," Bernie told her in a sad, little voice, "if you go, I guarantee you won't be feeling fine."

"Maybe not, but I'm not going to flake on him. We're becoming good friends and I actually like spending time with him. Well, when he's not being too Sheldony, anyway." Niki admitted. "Maybe if I suck at it he'll take pity on me and let me quit."

Both Penny and Bernadette broke out in hilarious laughter at that. "Sheldon Cooper? Showing pity? Are we talking about the same guy?" Penny asked her, "Tall, kinda skinny, looks like a cross between Pee Wee Herman and C-3PO?"

"Okay guys, knock it off. I promised him I'd go and I'm sticking to that. He tried rollerblading for me, you know. So…I owe him this." Niki told them as she drained her can of Canada Dry and tossed it into the nearby trashcan.

"So that _was_ him I saw zooming around the campus the other day! Leonard didn't believe me. He said I must have started drinking early that day."

"Ooohh, burn!" Bernie yelped. "I hope you got him back for that."

"Well, I might have made a comment about him having to shop for clothes in the boy's department at Sears. That shut him up pretty fast."

"Why did you guys get married again?" Niki winked at her mischieviously.

"Yeah, well at least he doesn't make me go play paintball with him."

"Touche." Bernie gleefully responded to Penny's retort. "Niki, I'll come by on Sunday night and check in on you."

"I might not be home. Sheldon promised me a dinner at the restaurant of my choice if I 'survived'. Quote, unquote."

"Well," Penny advised her, "make it worth your while. No Chinese food or pizza."

"Oh, he'll be taking me for a seafood dinner at the beach for sure."

"That's my girl!" Penny cheered. "I like your style."

"By the way," Bernie asked her, "not to change the subject, but have either of you guys heard when Raj will get back? Inquiring minds want to know. What happens then?"

"Palomar just asked him to stay on for a couple more weeks. As to what happens after that, who knows? We'll just have to wait and see."

"Well," Bernadette offered as she got up and headed for the kitchen, "I hope you stay working for Sheldon. Your stories are much better than the ones Raj tells us."

"That's the truth. I'm getting interested in just where you and Sheldon are headed." Penny agreed with her friend. "Where _are_ you headed, anyway?"

Niki shrugged and gave her new friends a small grin, "When I get that figured out, you guys will be the first to know. For now, just good friends."

"That's what they all say." Bernie said as she returned to the couch, a fresh drink in hand.

"I know, I know. I told you guys, when I know, you'll know. No,really." Niki told them as they both gave her knowing smiles. "For now, we're just having fun"

"That's what I said to myself when I first started dating Leonard and look where I ended up." Penny interjected, holding up her left hand to showcase her wedding ring. "Be careful with this one, okay?"

"Sure, fine. I don't see what you're so worried about. Sheldon isn't Leonard."

Penny spit her drink out all over herself, "That's an understatement!"

"Look, I'll text both of you when I get back. I'll fill you in with all the details, okay?"

"Sure," Penny agreed as she wiped wine off of her shirt, "but remember, we want _all_ the details."

That Sunday morning, Niki found herself dressed in camouflage and a helmet, armed with a paintball gun and ammo, and hunkered down behind a half wall with Sheldon, who was similarly armed and dressed. She had never been this afraid of anything in her life.

She rose just high enough over the wall to get a better view of the playing field when a paint ball whizzed over her head, missing her by mere inches.

"They shot at me!" She shouted in a voice filled with fear.

"Well, of course, that's the point of this whole thing. Shoot back at them." Sheldon instructed her.

"I can't, I don't want to shoot someone!" Now she was even more afraid.

"Do what I do." He offered in an attempt to calm her. Panicked females were not his forte.

"What's that?" Niki asked, her hands shaking and her palms sweating.

"I think of someone I have really hated or been angry with from my past, and I pretend that the other team is made up of those people."

"Who do you imagine them to be?" she asked while trying to find a way to get even lower to the ground.

"All of the bullies from my past, including my brother."

"Not working for me." She replied. "Try something else."

"What about Paul's family and all of your mutual friends who abandoned you after he died?"

Niki's entire countenance changed at that moment. She frowned, turned towards Sheldon and stared. In an instant, resolution had replaced fear on her face. The now determined weekend warrior nodded, made sure her weapon was loaded, peered over the wall and began firing. Sheldon joined her enthusiastically and within ten minutes, between the two of them, they had completely wiped out the other team. Sheldon called her Annie Oakley for days after that.

Sheldon gazed at Niki with a new admiration in his eyes. "See what the proper motivation


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Shake Your Groove Thing

Several days later, Sheldon and Niki were sequestered in his office, neither one had left the office the entire day. Their research had reached an impasse and they were both feeling frustrated. Sheldon was not one to quit when stymied, he was more than prepared to camp out in his office for days, if necessary. Niki held a much different view and while she saw nothing wrong with missing lunch, she was not about to stay there for the entire night. And seeing as she was Sheldon's only ride home at this hour, that was looming as a distinct possibility.

"Look, Sheldon, why don't we go home and get some rest and come back to this tomorrow. We're not making any breakthroughs by standing here staring at a blank whiteboard."

He turned to her with an almost offended look on his face. "Sheldon Cooper does not quit! He sticks with it until he finds the answer. Are you saying you would actually go home and sleep tonight knowing we have reached an impasse in our work?"

Niki shook her head. "No Sheldon, I am not saying that at all. I have no intention of going home and sleeping."

"What are you trying to say, then? Because it certainly sounded like you preparing to quit for the night."

"I'm not quitting. I am going to go out and find me the answer."

"And just how do you propose to do that?" he inquired in a sarcastic tone, "Are you going to gaze into your crystal ball?"

"No, and don't be sarcastic like that." She warned him. "I intend to go dancing."

"DANCING?" He turned to her and stared in surprise.

"Yes, dancing." She replied, ignoring his implied disapproval. "It has often helped me in the past. There is something about the body movements that sets my mind free, and very often, the answer I'm looking for comes to me mid-dance."

"That sounds like pure poppycock!" Sheldon protested, "And from a gifted scientist, too!"

"Like it or not, it's what works for me." She countered, then added, "Don't knock it until you've tried it."

'I have no intention of 'trying it' tonight or any other night. I can't see how dancing can give you the answer to a physics problem." Sheldon harrumphed.

"Well, suit yourself, but I'm leaving."

"You can't! You're my ride home!" He protested loudly.

"Of course I can." She calmly pronounced, "I'm your partner, not your slave. Look Sheldon, how would you like to come home with me and we'll talk about it."

"I'm not going dancing." He insisted.

"Do you dance at all?" She asked him innocently.

"Of course I dance. I was raised in Texas. Dancing lessons are considered a rite of passage there."

"Are you any good at it?" The trap was being set.

"I excel at everything I do." He responded with a lift of his head.

"Good, let's dance."

"No! That is a very unprofessional way to solve this problem."

"It's not unprofessional if it works. Face it, nothing else has today." The smirk was alive and well.

"What if I outdance you?" He challenged her, his eyebrow rising to heights she had never seen before.

"I do not believe that is possible. Paul and I went dancing quite often. I can Cha Cha and Rumba quite well, most likely better than you."

"I highly doubt that." He sniffed.

"Prove it. I dare you." She threw the gauntlet down with a purpose.

"All right Miss Smarty Pants, I will. Let's leave and go to your home. We will have ourselves a dance-off. As that old song goes, Ms. Oakley 'Anything you can do, I can do better'."

"We'll just see about that." Niki was laughing to herself on the inside. That had been almost too easy. Now, to get him to an actual club…

They arrived at Niki's apartment and she immediately headed for her spare room, which to Sheldon's surprise, was almost completely empty. "Where's your furniture?" he inquired, staring at the open space.

"I don't have any in this room. I keep it empty on purpose. I use it only for dancing."

"By yourself?"

"Not tonight." she winked at him. "Come on, let's put on some music and get going."

"If I may be so bold as to ask, what dance are we going to do? Waltz? Rumba? Cha Cha?"

"Tell you what, I'll let you pick."

"I suppose we could start with a Rumba." He offered in an unsure voice.

"Rumba it is. Let me choose some music for that." Niki looked busily through a series of songs stored on her laptop, "Ah, perfect!"

"I do hope it's nothing too hippy dippy or gangsta."

"For a Rumba? Have no fear; it's from Broadway, _Miss Saigon_ to be exact. Do you know 'Last Night of the World'?

'No, I do not believe so.' He answered, uncertainty etched across his face.

'Well, you're going to know it now. It's one of my favorite songs. I'll play it for you first, and then we'll work on dancing to it. Deal?'

"Deal. I don't know how I let you talk me into things like this."

"I felt the same way about Paintball. Now, just listen to the music and get a good feel for it."

They both listened in silence to the song. Sheldon was the first to speak when the music ended. "That was beautiful! Rather sad, though. However, I do believe we could dance to that one quite nicely."

Niki beamed at him. She loved this song and loved to dance to it. She was glad Sheldon had liked it, also. Now, to see if he could actually dance. She motioned Sheldon into the middle of the room and restarted the music. It wasn't long before she realized that while Sheldon knew all the steps in a Rumba and carried them out with no mistakes, his dancing didn't flow. The Rumba was a sensual dance that needed smooth, seamless, motions. He knew how to Rumba fairly well, and yet at the same time, he didn't know how to Rumba at all.

"That was pretty good, Sheldon, but we need to tweak it a bit."

"Whatever do you mean? I danced every step perfectly." He glared at her in disbelief.

"Well, yeah, you did. Except you weren't feeling the music."

"Excuse me?"

"How can I explain this? Oh, I've got it. In our work, we're researching properties of Black Holes. Am I correct?" She waited for his answer with great expectancy.

"Of course, but what does that have to do with dancing?"

"Bare with me a minute and you'll see. Sheldon, how does light travel as it approaches a Black Hole? Does it move in a straight line?" She moved closer to him as she asked the question.

"No, of course not. It follows the curve of the Space Time Continuum."

"Exactly! Sheldon, your dancing movements are like light traveling in a straight line. Nothing wrong with that, but it isn't following the universe's natural curve. Your movements shouldn't be hard and straight in this dance; they should flow the same way light particles follow the curve of the Space Time Continuum. Do you understand? This is the sensual dance of light through space."

"Hmmm…fascinating. Okay, let's try that again. I will now think of myself as a particle of light traveling to the far reaches of space." he spat out sarcastically. "Personally, I think this is ridiculous. How will dancing a Rumba give us an answer to our impasse?"

"I'm not saying it will." She explained to him with a patient smile, "It just does more often than not. At least for me. Now, I'll just restart the music. Ready?"

"I suppose." He sighed. Sheldon thought her idea was intriguing, but hardly valid. Oh well, he had nothing to lose by trying out her suggestion.

What happened next surprised both of them. Their dancing was no longer stiff, regimented, and formal; slowly their dance began to flow together into unified movements. It became a sensual, graceful, and at the same time, liberating journey through time and space. The longer they danced, the more their bodies worked in unison. It soon became apparent that they danced very well together. When the music ended, Sheldon was the first to speak, "I actually enjoyed that. May we pick another song?"

Niki gave him a playful grin, "But of course. Another Rumba, or a Waltz or Cha Cha? What would you prefer?"

"I'm having fun with the Rumba. Let's do that again. Can we?" His face once again resembled a ten-year-old boy's at Christmas. It was oddly endearing to her and she found she liked it when he did that.

"Sure. I have another great song we can use. Have you ever heard 'Jesus to a Child' by George Michael?"

Sheldon shook his head, "No,I don't really follow modern music, but okay, let's dance to it"

"Not to be morose, but this song has been known to make people cry. It always reminds me of Paul. I hope you like it."

"We'll see. Just don't expect me to shed any tears. I seldom, if ever, cry."

"You don't have to cry to be moved, you know. Anyway, let's do this."

Once again, Niki started the music and she found herself moving with Sheldon as if they had been dancing together for years. It _was_ as though they were two particles of light, flowing through space towards a distant destination. Each was listening to the words and were moved by them. Sheldon became lost in his own thoughts _: Niki was right, this song does move you. It feels like a beautiful, haunting tribute to something profound from the past._ When the music ended, they stepped back from each other, tender looks on their faces. Suddenly Sheldon's emerged from his reverie. His eyes went wide and he gasped, "We have to get back to the office immediately! I do believe I have found the answer we were looking for!"

"No need, I keep a spare whiteboard and paper there in that corner, for just such occasions." Niki responded, gesturing to a spot across the room. Sheldon quickly picked up a dry erase marker and began to fill the whiteboard with the new calculations. Sheldon was amazed. _It really worked. When I freed my mind the answer just came to me! Sometimes Niki's insight is amazing, but I mustn't let her know that. Still, the truth remains that she is a very special physicist…and woman._

Niki began to copy Sheldon's calculations down on a yellow legal pad. _This man, like Paul, is amazing! His mind has no limits. He is a very special breed of scientist…and a very special person, but I can't let him know that just yet._

Over the next two weeks, until Raj returned, Sheldon and Niki went out dancing whenever they hit a snag in their work, and sometimes just because they felt like dancing together and having a little fun.

"You got Sheldon Cooper to go dancing with you at a club?" Penny shrieked. 'How on earth did you do that? I've only saw him dance with Amy once, and it wasn't in a nightclub setting. He hates those kind of places! How did you pull that off?" The girls were sitting around Bernadette's kitchen table on a Friday night before going out. Penny stared disbelievingly at her new friend, once again wondering what the deal was with her and Sheldon.

"It wasn't that hard" Niki reassured her. "I just tied the whole idea into our work. It was fairly easy after that."

"First rollerblading, then paintball, now dancing, what's next? I'm getting curious about all of this!" Bernie exclaimed, staring at Niki through her wine glass.

"Maybe something a little more intimate?" Penny teased her.

"Stop it you two. I've told you both before, we're just good friends having some fun."

"Sure you are." Penny grinned, "Tell me something, how long are you guys going to go on fooling yourselves?"

"About what?" Niki gave her a perplexed look.

"About what's really going on. I haven't seen Sheldon smile like this since he was with Amy. He's back to being Happy Sheldon again, he's just so different from the way he's been the past two years. And you, my dear, have a lot to do with that."

"Well, thank you for the compliment, but I can't take any credit for that or not much of it, anyway. You know the old saying, 'you can lead a horse to water…' That's pretty much what this is. I plant the ideas and Sheldon runs with them. He was just ready, you know?"

"Oh yeah, we know all right!" Bernie giggled, "But do you guys know, that's the big question."

"Knock it off, Bernie. If anything changes, I'll be the first one to tell you. For now, I'm enjoying the heck out this friendship. Sheldon can actually be fun, with the right motivation." Niki took a sip of her soda and suddenly sat bolt upright. "Oh my god, I almost forgot to tell you guys, Raj is coming back on Monday. Sheldon can hardly wait to see him. It's been what, a little over a month? I can only imagine how Emily feels."

"Confused? Angry?" Penny offered.

"What do you mean?" Niki asked her in a confused voice.

"Well, the guy goes off for over a month without her, what is she supposed to feel? I would be pissed as hell at the way he kept extending his assignment there."

'Uh," Bernie interrupted her, "He hasn't exactly been alone there. Emily has been going down every weekend to see him.

"How do you know that?" Penny cocked her head quizzically.

"I listened in when Raj Skyped Howard the other night."

"Well, they would be near San Diego, so there are a lot of fun things to do there. I'm sure they've been having fun." Niki responded with a dreamy look in her eyes. "San Diego is a great city to explore. Paul and I took mini- vacations there whenever we had the chance."

"Well, maybe. But Raj told Howie they just get a motel and stay in."

"Well I'll be." Niki mused, "I was right, it must be the coitus."

All the girls collapsed in laughter at the thought of poor Raj, trapped in a motel room with his weird girlfriend because of his hormones. They all knew that, once again, Raj had failed at ending his twisted relationship with Emily.

"Come on, girls," Penny pointed at the door, "let's get going. The night won't be young forever!"

"Who's driving tonight?" Bernie asked in a worried voice.

"Don't worry; I've been assigned all driving duties." Niki reassured her tiny cohort as she grabbed her car keys. "You girls are safe with me. By the way, there's this new Italian restaurant on Colorado Blvd. I've been dying to try."

"Do they serve alcohol?" Penny asked in a concerned voice.

"Of course they do, my dear. What Italian place doesn't serve wine?" Niki reassured her, smiling at her pretty friend who would most likely drink a little too much tonight. But then again, she was in no position to judge. Penny seemed to keep her drinking confined to the weekends and occasionally after work. Lots of people did that, didn't they?

"Okay then, let's go!" Penny laughed as she headed towards the door.

With that settled, the three friends left Bernadette's house to find fun and adventure on the mean streets of downtown Pasadena.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Say What?

That Saturday evening Niki sat curled up on the couch in her apartment, doing her nails, catching up on her reading, and enjoying some time to herself. Between work and her newly activated social life, Me Time had been hard to come by lately. She jumped when she heard an unexpected knock on her door. Puzzling thoughts went running through her head. _Who could that be? I'm not expecting anyone at this hour. That wasn't Sheldon's knock, and the girls always call before they come over. Damn it, I guess I'll have to get up and see who it is._

She carefully opened the door a crack and saw that it was Raj and his smiling face was not an unwelcome surprise. She threw open the door and greeted her former associate warmly. "Dr. K, welcome home!" she exclaimed and wrapped his small frame in a giant hug. "When did you get back? We weren't expecting you until tomorrow."

"I just drove up this afternoon. Is Sheldon here?" he asked her with a sense of urgency, scanning the room with his eyes.

"No, I think he's with Leonard at the comic book store" she answered him. "Why would he be here?"

"Well, he's told me you guys have been hanging out together sometimes and I thought he might be here. He wasn't at Leonard's place." Raj cased the room one more time. "I just knew you guys would get along, didn't I tell you that?"

Niki shook her head, "No, you didn't. As I recall, you warned me that working with him could be difficult."

"Whatever. You guys are getting along okay, though. Right?" he asked her with more than a little urgency.

"Yeah, we're doing fine. Would you like to leave a message for him with me? I'll make sure he gets it. He's coming here for dinner tomorrow."

"No, I have to talk to him about something privately." Raj answered mysteriously. "He's at the comic book store, you're sure about that. "

"Well, that's where he said he was when he texted me a little while ago. Why don't you go there and see for yourself." she suggested in exasperation.

"Okay. I'll do that right now. It's been great to see you again, Niki. Can we talk later? We've got some catching up to do."

"Sure. I can't wait to hear about what you were doing at Palomar."

"Okay, I'll see you Monday at work." Raj threw her a look over his shoulder as he turned and made his way out the door.

"Great. See you then." She spoke to his backside as he made his way to the elevator. Niki was left with more than a few questions. Why did he have to talk privately with Sheldon? About what? How come he didn't mention Emily being at Palomar with him? And why was he in such a hurry? She eventually shrugged her shoulders and returned to her couch. _Oh well, I'm sure I'll get all the answers I need tomorrow. Now, back to my book._

#####################################################################################

Raj drove towards the Stuart's comic book store, deep in thought. _I hope Sheldon is there. Will he agree to this? He sure can be stubborn sometimes. But I think he will like the idea, I really do. I hope he and Niki are getting along as well as she told me they were, that will help make this a little less awkward. Ahh, here we are. Might as well go in and get this over with. The things I do to keep the peace…_

Raj parked his car, entered the store, and searched for Sheldon among the rows of bins that held comic books of every genre. Nothing. Just the usual group of lonely misfits, searching for their alter egos among the Hulks and Supermen found between the glossy covers. Raj was about to give up and leave when he spied Sheldon in the far back of the store, engaged in an animated conversation with Stuart and Leonard. Weaving his way through the store, Raj eventually came within eyeshot of the group who turned as one to greet him.

"Hey, Raj! Welcome back!" Leonard greeted him warmly with a smack on his back. "I didn't think you were getting back until Monday."

"Emily and I decided to drive up a day early. It's so good to be home." Raj then addressed the pale, thin man standing next to Leonard. "Stuart, how's Cinnamon? Did she miss her Daddy?"

"She's fine, Raj." Stuart answered, a sad smile spreading across his face. "You can pick her up today if you'd like. I can't say it hasn't been nice not to come home to an empty apartment. When you spend enough evenings alone, even a dog is an upgrade."

"Yeah, yeah, thanks for looking after her for me. I'll be over in a little while get her." Dismissing Stuart, Raj turned and asked in a worried voice, "Sheldon, can I talk to you privately?"

"Good lord," Sheldon exclaimed and looked accusingly at Stuart, "I hope this isn't about your dog. It wasn't me who fed her Purina instead of the food you suggested on your list."

"What? Okay, never mind about that right now" he said as Stuart found something very important to do on the other side of the store. "We'll talk later, my friend!" Raj yelled after him. "No, this is about something totally different."

"Well, what is it? I hate playing twenty questions."

"I asked if we could talk in private, remember?" Raj reminded him in whisper, throwing an apologetic look to Leonard.

"Of course. How about we retreat over there to that sofa?" Sheldon suggested, pointing to a comfy looking sofa sitting in a small nook.

"Sure."

The two men walked over to the more secluded location. Sheldon sat down on the sofa while an uncomfortable Raj remained standing. Sheldon looked up and asked, "Now, what is it that is so important that I had to leave a perfectly good Marvel vs. DC comics debate."

Raj cleared his throat and addressed his friend, "It's about Niki."

"What about her?" Sheldon looked up at Raj and asked in a worried voice." Is she okay?"

"She's fine, Sheldon. I need to ask you a big favor. It's regarding her."

"Fine. What is it?"

"Can you keep Niki working with you? It might be a little difficult to have her in my office every day."

"What on earth are you talking about Koothrappali? As you promised, Niki is a fine research scientist and she is enjoyable to work with. I have no problem keeping her with me; she has aided my research greatly. But why in heaven's name don't you want her working with you any longer?"

"It's not me, dude," Raj confessed with a shamed face, "it's Emily."

"Emily is not a physicist. Why would she care who helps you in your research?" Sheldon cocked his head and looked at his friend in confusion, trying to decipher what he had just heard.

"She doesn't like the idea of me working with an attractive woman for hours every day."

"That's the most preposterous thing I have ever heard! Did she forget that you are _working_ with the woman, not socializing?"

"Dude, I told her all that. Didn't make any difference. She wants Niki out of my office. So, you'll keep her working with you? That would make my life a lot easier."

"I have no problem with that, but won't you see Niki if you come to my office to work with us? You _are_ going to keep working with us, aren't you?"

"Of course I am, Sheldon. Look, Emily doesn't mind it if you're there, too. She just doesn't want me there alone with her."

"Women! Sometimes they are impossible to figure out. Anyway, I have no problem whatsoever with your proposal, Raj. I'm sure it will all work out."

"Thanks, Sheldon. You're a real pal." This time it was Raj delivering the smack on the back.

Sheldon collected himself after the back smack. "Now, in return for my generosity, how about you spring for lunch Monday?" Sheldon couldn't help but grin as he made this request.

"You got it." Raj answered him happily as he headed back to Leonard and Stuart.

Sheldon stayed behind, deep in thought. He found it hard to wipe the smile off of his face. Everything was working out perfectly, even better than he had planned. His smile broadened. He couldn't wait to tell Niki this wonderful news!

"There, it's finally done!" Niki crowed in satisfaction as she pulled the bubbling hot pizza from the oven. _I can't wait for Sheldon to try this! Homemade pizza with all his favorite toppings. Yum!_ After talking to Raj, Sheldon had phoned her yesterday with the good news. She had been so happy with their agreement she had volunteered to make pizza for the both of them. After Sheldon had given her his exact specifications, Niki had driven to the store and purchased all the ingredients he had required on his extensive list. She loved making pizza and couldn't wait to have Sheldon taste it. _He should be here any minute._ She thought excitedly. She removed her oven mitts, took a last look in the mirror to make sure she didn't look a mess, and began to set the table. Her phone suddenly sounded a delicate chime, informing her she had a new text message. She went to her coffee table, picked up her phone and read;

 _Sorry, have to cancel. Big gaming night at Raj's place. See you tomorrow._

"THAT SON OF A BITCH!" Niki screamed into the phone even though she knew no one could hear her. She decided to make sure that someone heard her and that someone was going to be one Sheldon Lee Cooper! She pressed his contact number angrily and prepared herself mentally for the upcoming storm.

 _"Hello, Niki. Why have you called me? I thought I was perfectly clear with my text."_

 _"Well, let me make this perfectly clear, Sheldon Cooper. Stick your games where the sun never shines!"_

 _"Excuse me? That was rather rude."_

 _"You want to talk about rude? Who cancels a dinner invitation at the last minute, after the host has spent the better part of the day cooking?"_

 _"Oh come now, thanks to me, your social circle has increased significantly. I'm sure you will find someone to eat with you."_

 _"You know something, Sheldon. You are right. I will enjoy this meal with someone else."_

 _"That's my girl! Now, I have to go. Leonard and Raj and making faces at me."_

 _"I'll bet they are. Goodbye Sheldon."_ With that, Niki ended the call and began to make other plans for the evening.

She quickly called Penny, knowing that she was most likely with Bernadette, having fun while the boys played their games _. "Penny, are you doing anything?"_ Niki asked in an perturbed voice.

 _"Not really,"_ Penny answered her," _what's up?"_

 _"Is Bernie with you?"_

 _"Yeah, why?"_

 _"I need to call an emergency Girl's Meeting at my place."_

 _"Does this have anything to do with everybody's favorite annoyance?"_ Penny quizzed her, looking at Bernadette and rolling her eyes.

 _"You bet your behind it does. Can you come? I've got homemade pizza sitting here."_

 _"We'll be there in ten minutes. I can't wait to hear this one!"_


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13: You Don't Own Me

Niki, Penny, and Bernadette sat around the dining room table in Niki's apartment, discussing the latest "Shiki" development.

"What do you guys think I should do?" Niki asked them in a voice that reeked of both anger and frustration.

"Make more pizza. This is great!" Bernie suggested, licking her fingers.

"Open another bottle of wine." Penny volunteered.

"You guys, I'm talking about dealing with Sheldon."

Penny looked at her apologetically, "Oh. Look, he doesn't know he's hurt you; he's more or less oblivious to those kinds of things."

"Or just plain self centered." Niki muttered under her breath.

"Well, I suppose it's a little of both, actually." Penny admitted with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Look, you can't do anything now, he's not here. We are, so let's have us some fun." Bernie suggested to her friend. It was always fun when Niki was around.

"You know what? You may be on to something there. Let's go dancing! Bernie, how late can your sitter stay?"

"All night if I want, my mom's watching Kelly tonight."

"Good. Penny, you're free for the rest of the night, right?" Niki turned and asked her pretty, blonde friend.

"Yeah, Leonard's pulling that all night game-a-thon with Sheldon, Raj, and Howard. Since the school's closed tomorrow for Presidents Day, they've all got the day off. You too, right Bernie?"

"Oh yeah," she answered gleefully, "I don't think any of us has to work tomorrow."

Niki stood up and smiled at both of them, "I've got a great idea, ladies. Let's put on our sexiest looks and go dancing!

"But Penny and I are married!" Bernie protested.

"I said dancing, Bernie, not doing the nasty."

"Yeah, let the guys have their fun and we'll have ours. I'm in!" Penny was starting to warm up to this idea. "Bernie, we'll go to my place, get dressed up, and meet Niki back here in about a half hour. Sound good to you?"

"Sounds good." Bernie agreed, warming up to the plan. "See you in a bit, Niki."

Thirty minutes later, Penny and Bernie returned. Niki could scarcely believe her eyes and gaped at her friends' transformations. Penny was in full makeup and wore a tight, black, off-the-shoulder number that ended a good distance above her knees. Bernie had exchanged her glasses for contacts and wore a long, sexy, sky blue sarong that showed off all of her curves. As for Niki, she had put up her hair and decided on a form fitting red halter dress that was slit almost to her hip. None of the three looked anything like the middle-aged professional women that they were. In fact, any one of them would have been fairly stiff competition for someone half their age.

"Now we're talking! " Niki squealed, pleased at how sexy her two friends looked.

"You don't look so bad, yourself." Penny told her. "Too bad Sheldon couldn't see you."

"Too bad all the guys can't see us." Niki corrected her. "Them and their stupid games."

"Oh well, let's go and have us some fun! Forget about them!" Bernie added, getting into the spirit of the evening.

They all stared at each other with approval, grabbed their purses and their wraps, and headed out the door.

The three women entered the darkened club. As their eyes adjusted to the dim light, they searched the large room for a table. They eventually found the perfect spot, a table close to dance floor, yet away from the heaviest traffic. After sitting and ordering their usual drinks, Niki sat silently and stared off into space, prompting Penny to ask, "What's up? What's rattling around in that smart noggin of yours?"

Niki gave her a rueful smile and replied, "I don't exactly feel very smart right now. Can I ask you guys a question, even if it's one that you might take offense to?"

"Sure!" the other two ladies chorused. "What is it?"

"Amy was with Sheldon a long time, did he ever do anything like this to her?"

"Constantly!" they both replied in sync.

"Before they got married, Sheldon sometimes treated Amy like she wasn't even there." Penny offered, shaking her head at the remembrance of Sheldon's occasional indifference to Amy.

"How did she handle it? How did she control her anger and refrain from killing him?" Niki asked sarcastically.

"Well, most of the time she just over looked it or calmly pointed it out to him." Penny explained, scrunching up her face in an effort to recall memories from a time long past. "She was pretty low maintenance, come to think of it."

"She didn't have a whole lot of self esteem, sometimes. She mostly let Sheldon have his way, as long as he didn't go too far. I think he was her first boyfriend and all that." Bernie added, twirling a swizzle stick with her fingers. "For the longest time I don't think she knew _how_ to put her foot down. She was very docile. Maybe you could try that. Sheldon seemed to like it."

"One little problem with that, ladies. I'm not Amy, I'm Niki. I can never be Amy. If we had ever met, I doubt we would have been friends. It sounds like we would have had nothing in common besides Sheldon."

"How's that?" Penny asked her, her brows furrowed in confusion.

"She played the harp; I love to play the keyboard. She was a virgin when she met Sheldon; I'd been married before and widowed. No blushing virgin here. She was kind and patient, I'm outspoken and blunt, when I want something, I want it now! I'm not exactly what you would call patient. She was insecure; I've got all the self confidence in the world. Almost as much as Sheldon. She was passive, I'm definitely Type A. I don't ignore things. It's not healthy for me to hold things in. That's what I learned in re…a long time ago. The point is, I don't sweep things under the rug. How do I deal with this situation in my own way without it blowing up in my face?" Niki asked them, hoping her almost reference to rehab had gone unnoticed.

"I can tell you how to start". Penny replied, looking across the room with interest as a sly smile spread across her face.

"How?"

"There's a real good looking guy with a body-to-die-for heading this way. I suggest you flirt with him and get him to buy you a drink."

"Why on earth should I do that?" Niki stared at her friend, her mouth open in astonishment. "Have you lost your mind?"

"Because he's my ex boyfriend, Zack, and I can personally vouch that he is perfect for this situation. Hot, handsome, not too smart, and not looking for anything serious. Plus, he's a cool guy, you'll like him. Good dancer, too."

Before Niki could answer her, a tall, ruggedly handsome man with a cute smile pulled up a chair at their table. "Hey Penny! Long time, no see! Hey Bernadette, same thing."

"Hello, Zack," the ladies once again spoke in unison, "how's it going?"

"Actually, pretty good. My dad just bought this club and I'm checking it out. Wow! Who's your friend? I've never seen her before" He turned and smiled warmly at Niki. "Hi, I'm Zack, an old friend of Penny's. Can I buy you a drink?"

"Aren't you going to ask me my name?" Niki stared at him curiously.

Zack looked at her blankly, "Oh, okay, what's your name and what would you like to drink?"

"My name is Niki and you can buy me a Canada Dry on the rocks."

"Sure, uh, what's in that drink anyway?

"Well, Canada Dry and ice." Niki answered him, with a hint of a giggle in her voice. _Penny had been right, really cute and totally clueless. He was perfect!_

"Look, forget about the drink, do you wanna dance?" he asked her with an eager look on his face. "There's a good band playing tonight."

Niki smiled back at Zack flirtatiously, "Sure, I'd love to." She rose out of her seat and started following Zack to the dance floor. "See you two later" she called back to her friends and threw them a wink.

While Niki was busy with Zack, Penny and Bernadette ordered their drinks began planning their activities for the coming weekend.

"Joy of joys, Leonard's mother is coming to town on Friday. Something to do with his brother getting some award." Penny moaned. "Any ideas where I can hide for a few days?"

"Well," 'Bernie chirped excitedly "I'm thinking that's a good excuse to borrow my dad's condo at the beach. He'd love to let us stay there."

"Sounds fantastic! We could …" Suddenly Penny broke off mid-sentence and her mouth dropped open. "Hey, wait. Are my eyes deceiving me or is that Leonard, Sheldon, and Howard walking in here?"

Bernie spun around in her seat and gasped, "It _is_ them! What the heck are they doing here?"

"That's what I'd like to know." Penny told her in a worried voice. "I hope everything is okay."

The girls watched the guys wander around like fish out of water. Suddenly, Sheldon's eyes grew wide and he started marching towards the dance floor, his eyes shooting daggers at Niki and Zack.

"Oh my God!" Penny cried. "Sheldon's walking over to the dance floor!

Bernie grabbed her drink and stood up, "He is! I'm going to get a closer table, I want to see this! Sheldon's about to get himself into big trouble."

"C'mon, Bernie, Zack won't hurt him. He's a total sweetie."

"I wasn't talking about Zack." Bernie shot back.

"Oh. Well, we might as well get closer, I guess. I've always wanted to witness an evisceration."

"Where did you learn that word?" Bernie turned and asked her in a surprised voice.

"Sheldon taught it to me a few years ago at Thanksgiving." Penny informed her.

"Well, at least the poor guy will be cognizant of what's about to happen to him." Bernie sighed as she walked towards an empty table nearer to the dance floor.

Niki was having fun dancing with Zack. Penny had been right, he was a good dancer. Suddenly, she heard her name being called…loudly. "NIKI!"

She turned to face a livid Sheldon Cooper, his face red with anger.

"What do you think you're doing?" he demanded.

Niki frowned at him and answered, "I do believe they call it dancing. You should know. You've done it."

"Alright, but why are you out there dressed like a common floozy?"

 _Floozy?_ She almost laughed. "Look around Dr. Cooper, you will see my dress in not out of place."

Sheldon surveyed the room and saw that she was correct in her pronouncement. Still, he felt compelled to ask her, "Why would you want to look like every other cheap hussy in this place?"

"Oh, you mean like Penny and Bernadette, two of your closest friends?" Sheldon flinched visibly. _That one hit the mark, alright._

Sheldon looked around and saw Penny and Bernadette waving at him happily from a nearby table, seemingly oblivious to his remark, or perhaps they were merely enjoying the drama.

Sheldon sputtered, "I demand you leave this instant…and take off that horrible dress!"

Niki slinked over to Sheldon, put her arms around his neck and smiled at him flirtatiously. "Do you really think this dress is horrible? I think it looks rather nice on me." Penny and Bernadette were close to wetting themselves at this point.

"Just, just leave, please." He stammered in frustration.

Niki removed her arms from around him, met his flustered look with a steely stare and told him plainly, "No, I have the right to stay here and have fun with my friends, also. And I didn't cancel on another friend at the last minute to do it. You do not own me, Sheldon Cooper, nor do I own you."

Sheldon lowered his head and mumbled, "It has been brought to my attention that my previous actions this evening were both rude and inconsiderate. For that, I apologize."

Now Niki's eyes went from steely grey to molten mercury, "Excuse me? Someone had to inform you of that? That's pure BS and you know it. You knew exactly what you were doing when you did it. You wanted to go to your friend's house and play games. That's fine, nothing wrong with that. But you could have come over and had pizza with me first, especially since I spent the better part of the afternoon preparing it! What you have a problem with isn't my dress or my dancing, your problem is that I didn't roll over and take your insufferable attitude quietly, like Amy."

"How dare you compare yourself to Amy!" He spat out angrily.

"I'm not, Sheldon, I'm merely pointing out our differences. She was patient, docile and long-suffering. That's not me. At all."

Zack interrupted them, "I didn't know you were dating this guy."

"I'm not." Niki turned to Zack as she spoke; she had almost forgotten he was there.

"Married?"

"No."

"Then why is he so mad?" Zack asked her in a confused voice.

"That's the big question here, isn't it?" Niki directed them all off of the dance floor and to a nearby table, away from all the curious stares. "Why _are_ you so angry Dr. Cooper?"

"Well, I was worried about you."

Niki shook her head as if to clear it,"What? Why?"

"I tried calling you, but there was no answer at your home." Sheldon reluctantly explained to her, looking increasingly uncomfortable.

"So? You could have called my cell or texted me. Why were you trying to reach me, anyway?"

"I, I, didn't like that you weren't home. You weren't at Penny or Bernadette's, either." he looked down at the floor in an embarrassed manner. "I realized I had acted inappropriately and I wanted to talk to you. I knew you were upset with me and I remembered you telling me that you sometimes go dancing when you're upset, so I came here. This is where we went dancing the first time in public."

"Okay, but why bring Leonard and Howard with you?" She asked him, once again shaking her head in confusion.

"Well, I needed a ride here."

"Good lord! So you came here looking for me and dragged your friends along with you. Do you see how creepy that is?" She was really starting to wonder about him. She had never before had to deal with something like this.

"It's not at all creepy. I had to find you." Sheldon finally looked up at her

"You had to find me for what reason?"

"I wanted to apologize to you for my actions, no; I _needed_ to apologize for my actions. You were right, I knew I was being rude and selfish when I texted you, l just didn't want our pizza date to interfere with my plans. I was wrong and I wanted to say I'm sorry. I didn't want to lose you as a friend. That scared me. I really like you and I don't want you to stop liking me. Even if I do act like the rear end of a horse sometimes." Niki, you're not just my friend, you're my best friend."

Niki stifled a smile and thought long and hard before telling him, "Okay, apology accepted. But in the future, if you want to cancel our plans, go ahead, I won't mind…much. Just don't do it at the last second. Believe me; we can work something out that works for both of us. We're both gifted with immense intelligence, right?"

Sheldon smiled for the first time since entering the club, "That we are little lady."

"Hey," Zack asked her, "are you one of those science people, too?"

"Yep!" Penny and Bernie shouted from their table.

"Hey, I think I see someone I know, gotta go. Nice meeting you". Zack quickly made his exit. A super brainy female was more than he wanted to handle, even if she did look good in that dress.

Niki turned to Sheldon and smiled, "Now, seeing as I have lost my dance partner, would you care to fill in Dr. Cooper? Rumor has it that you are one fine dancer."

Sheldon grinned broadly, took her hand, and led her out to the dance floor. Penny and Bernadette looked at their respective spouses for an invitation. Both Leonard and Howard picked up their phones and messaged Raj that they would be late getting back, something important had come up. Soon, all three couples were on the dance floor, swaying in time to the music of a slow romantic number.

"Leonard," Penny addressed her husband, "I know I haven't been easy to live with the past few months, and for that, I apologize."

"You're just unhappy. I know you aren't exactly in love with your job. Look, I've been thinking about this and here's what I came up with; we need the money from your job, at least for now, but you _could_ audition for the Pasadena Playhouse. Look, you love acting, so _act_. You're a talented actress, I'm sure they'd love to have you. Start off there and see how it works. I can live without you a few nights a week. I just want to see you happy."

"Leonard, that's a great idea! I just remembered why I married you. You're the best husband in the entire world! I love you!" she exclaimed, pulling Leonard in even closer for a passionate kiss.

Meanwhile, Bernadette and Howard were also deep in conversation. "Howie, how long has it been since we've gone away for a weekend without Kelly?"

"Too long," Howard replied, looking into his wife's eyes, "what do you have in mind? I can see those wheels turning in that pretty head of yours."

"I was thinking of asking my dad if we could have the beach condo this weekend. We could invite Penny and Leonard to come with us and make it a married couple's getaway weekend. What do you think?"

"I think I love you." Howard answered as he nuzzled her neck, "Let's do it!"

Niki and Sheldon danced together, just happy to be together on a dance floor again. Niki spoke first, "Sheldon, I never want to lose you as my friend, I truly mean that. You are the person I enjoy being with the most. We always have a good time together, no matter what we are doing. You know you can't say that about just anyone."

"No, you can't," Sheldon agreed, "and I meant what I said about you being my best friend. I was at Raj's house and we were all playing games on his X Box. I usually enjoy those evening with the other guys very much, but all I could think of as the evening progressed was how much I wanted to be with you. That is why I had to come find you. I really wasn't trying to be creepy."

"Well, when you explain it like that, I guess it wasn't creepy at all. In fact, it was very sweet. By the way, Dr. Cooper, you're my best friend, too. That's why it hurt so much when you cancelled at the last minute. I was so proud of that pizza I made just for you. I wanted you to try it so badly!"

"Well, what do you say we try it again another night? You make the pizza again and then I'll take you out for desert anywhere you want to go? Is that agreeable to you?"

Niki looked up and gave him the sweetest smile in her arsenal, "I think that's a marvelous idea. You really are a genius aren't you?"

Sheldon merely nodded and grinned as broadly as his face would allow.

Later that night, Niki received a text from Penny, "Well played, my dear. Well played, indeed!"


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14: The Happiest Nerds on Earth

 **Things are now going to start heating up between Niki and Sheldon. In the most perfect setting I could think of.**

Penny was over at Niki's apartment the next evening when, in the middle of a TV show they were watching, she turned to her friend and asked her, "Did you know that Sheldon has a birthday in a few days?"

Niki's eyes never left the TV screen as she answered, "So? Am I supposed to throw him a party or something?"

"No, you don't have to do that. Sheldon usually hates parties. What I'm asking you is, do you have _anything_ planned to help him celebrate?"

Niki stopped watching the show and turned to Penny and explained, "Look, I'm not a birthday person. I don't believe being born makes you unique. It's not like no one else has ever done it, or that it's a special prize you've earned."

Penny gave her a twisted smile, "Still, you guys are friends and I think you should do something special for him."

"Would he do that for me?" Niki challenged her.

Penny got up to go to the kitchen and threw back over her shoulder, "I have known him to make a person's birthday special, yes."

"Well then, I guess I'm going to have to come up with something. Hmmmm. I've got it! I'll give him a present we'll both enjoy!"

Penny grinned wickedly as she came back to the couch, "You're finally going to have sex with him?"

"No, not that." Niki shook her head decisively, "Come on, Penny! Let's be real. I was thinking of taking him to Disneyland. I love that place. Does Sheldon like going there?"

"Sure he does. I've taken him there before. He loves the heck out of it. Just don't let him eat before he goes on Space Mountain, you'll regret it."

"How so?" Niki asked her, intrigued by the story.

"I fed him a churro right before we got in line for the ride. I wore that damn thing all over my shoes for the rest of the day."

"Lost his lunch, huh? Got it. No food before Space Mountain. Anything else?" Niki began to write down an itemized list of Sheldon's Disney foibles.

"Goofy scares the crap out of him."

Niki laughed out loud and cocked her head at Penny, "You're kidding, right?"

"Nope, swear to God, he will have nightmares if you get him near Goofy. He's got no problem with Pluto, though."

Nik continued writing, "No food, no Goofy. Okay. That's it?"

"Yep. Go and have a great time. You'll have fun with him there; he really does love the place." Penny added, "Especially Tomorrow Land".

Niki giggled, "Yeah, I could have figured that one out."

"So, when are you planning on going?" Penny asked, hoping for the coming weekend when she and Leonard would be away with Bernadette and Howard.

"This Saturday sounds good. I hope he doesn't have anything planned with the guys."

"Don't worry about it." Penny reassured her while breathing an internal sigh of relief, "I'll let Leonard know and he'll make sure that anything they plan for Saturday will never reach Sheldon's ears."

It was Tuesday night and Sheldon and Niki were sitting in her apartment, finishing up the aforementioned pizza remake. Niki grinned at Sheldon and teased him, "Sheldon, I'll bet you can't guess what we're going to do this weekend?"

Sheldon folded his napkin and put it to the side of his plate, "That sounds like a loaded question, but I'll bite." He gave one of his hiccupping laughs, "What are we doing?"

"We, my friend, are going to Disneyland, my treat."

Sheldon looked at her quizzically, "Why your treat?"

"Because I feel like it. Do you have any objections to that?" She quizzed him while she cleared the table.

Sheldon pushed his chair back, "None whatsoever. Will anyone be joining us or will it be just the two of us?"

"Nope. Just the two of us, unless you'd like to bring someone."

"I think just the two of us sounds fine. Can we go to Tomorrow Land?" he added in his little boy voice.

"Sheldon, we're going to do the whole damn park. Everything."

"Okay, can we go on the train?"

"We'll go on every damn train in the place if you want, my dear." She was loving his reaction to the news.

"What day had you planned on us going?" he asked her as he brought his plate to the kitchen sink.

"Well, are you free Saturday?" She took his plate from him and loaded it in the dishwasher.

"I'll make sure of it. Niki?" he asked excitedly, "Did you know they have an Indiana Jones ride there?"

"Of course I know. I have an Annual Pass to the place. I used to go all the time. Maybe we could get you one. Would you like that?" she asked him while starting the dishwasher.

"Of course I would. Does getting me a pass mean we would go there together often, or is it just for me?" he asked her in a worried voice.

"Hey, I can't go without my best bud, can I?" She responded, looking at him warmly, "Of course we'll go together as often as we can."

"Good, I don't want to go without you, either, and it's not just because you can drive me there. I have fun with you. May I make a suggestion?"

She entered the living room and sat on the couch, motioning Sheldon to join her there. "Sure, what is it?"

"Can we go Saturday and Sunday? We could stay at a hotel overnight on Saturday. I don't like the idea of you driving us all the way home after a day at the park. I think it would be much safer for us to leave on Sunday, after a good night's rest."

"You know, that sounds like a great idea! Maybe we could go back over there for awhile on Sunday. Tell you what, I'll let you find a hotel and take care of that, I'll handle the passes."

"Agreed. To Disneyland and great adventures!" He toasted her with his raised glass of YooHoo.

"To great adventures!" Niki raised her glass as well. She was very pleased with herself, Sheldon seemed thrilled with her plan and that made her happy. Why it pleased her to see Sheldon so happy was something she was reluctant to investigate, it was enough for her that they were both felt excited about the whole idea.

10:00 a.m. on Saturday morning found Niki and Sheldon checking in at the Grand Californian Hotel on the California Adventure grounds. Niki stared at the amazing craftsmanship of the hotel, which had been modeled on the Craftsman homes so popular in the Pasadena area. Of all the hotels in and around the park, this is the one that Niki herself would have picked. _Good job, Sheldon!_ She said to herself. Out loud, she asked him, "Where are our rooms located? I can't wait to unpack and get to all the fun!"

"Cool your jets, little lady. We'll get to everything. Now, to answer your question, we are in 308 and 309. I got us adjoining rooms; I thought that would make it easier.

"A brilliant move, as usual. Let's go upstairs and get settled."

Niki couldn't believe her eyes when she saw the rooms Sheldon had reserved for them. They were both spacious and opulent while staying true to the Craftsman style of the hotel. When Sheldon left for his room, Niki took stock of hers. An enormous king size bed with an ornate comforter graced one end of the room. A large wall-mounted flat screen TV faced the bed. Looking to the left, she saw a small balcony, just large enough for a table and two chairs. _Perfect for my morning coffee!_ She said to herself. _In fact, the entire room was perfect. Cooper, you truly are a genius!_ Niki quickly started to unpack, eager to begin their day. When her clothes were safely sorted and stored, Sheldon walked back through the door that joined their rooms, an excited smile on his face. Niki had to give him an endearing smile. He had changed into a Mickey Mouse t-shirt while she wore one emblazoned with Minnie.

Sheldon returned the smile and headed towards the door of her room. "Now that we've gotten ourselves settled, let's head over to the park, I can't wait to see everything!"

"I agree," Niki smiled back at him, "I just have to get my bag and we can get started."

They rode the elevator to the first floor and entered the expansive lobby, taking in the amazing wood and stone work and the stained glass skylight. It was like visiting a luxury hotel from another time and place. With some reluctance, they left the hotel, walked through the turnstiles that separated California Adventure from Disneyland and crossed the expanse between the two parks.

As they approached the entrance gates to Disneyland, Sheldon stopped suddenly and asked Niki, "What about my pass, are we going to buy it here?"

"Relax, my friend. Thanks to modern technology I bought yours online. This piece of paper…here," she pulled the printout from her bag and handed it to Sheldon, "is all you will need to get in. We will have to get your picture taken at some point during the day so they can finish your pass and mail it to you, but we don't have to worry about that right now."

"You are one resourceful woman, do you know that?"

"But of course, it's part of why you like me" she smirked and wrinkled her nose at him, happy to be at this wonderful place with her best friend.

"True, I do admire your ability to think ahead. It is most useful sometimes, like today for instance."

They entered the park and Sheldon immediately begged, "Can we go on the train first? I want to ride the train."

"Great minds think alike. I was just going to suggest that. Let's go up the stairs to the train station and get on board." Sheldon took her hand and practically dragged her up the stairs. Once on the train, they both sat back to enjoy the ride around the park.

They were enjoying taking in the sights and sounds of Disneyland when, near the end of the ride, the train entered a long, dark, tunnel and began a simulated journey into the Primeval World. Sheldon and Niki both took much delight in pointing out the inaccuracies of the tableau in front of them, much to the annoyance of their fellow passengers.

Sheldon started it all, "They've put dinosaurs from all different time periods together in the same place."

Niki added, "And their sizes aren't in the correct proportions."

Sheldon nudged her, "The Brontosaurus did not chew its meals, it swallowed them whole, like a bird. They even possessed a gizzard-like stones, called gastroliths."

"And the stegosaurus isn't carrying its tail high enough; they even gave it the incorrect number of spikes." Niki informed Sheldon and everyone else on the ride.

"Oh, they've got the head the wrong shape on the Tyranosaurus Rex, and they gave it three fingers! Good Lord, everyone knows it only had two!"

This back and forth went on until the end of the ride, where everyone on their section of the train was overjoyed to see the last of the two science nerds as they disembarked.

After exiting the Disneyland Railroad Train, Sheldon and Niki headed up Main Street, taking in the sights and sounds of the people, the trolleys, and the shops along the way. Niki spotted the Carnation Café on their left and asked Sheldon, "Want to get lunch?"

"I could eat." He answered, turning toward the restaurant. "Do you want to dine inside or al fresco?"

"Oh, outside will be fine. The weather is so nice today."

"Agreed. Outside it is." Sheldon took her hand and steered her towards the café.

They entered the restaurant and were soon seated outdoors. They both studied their menus intensely for several minutes.

"I think I'll have the turkey sandwich, with lemonade." Niki announced to their server. "How about you?" she asked Sheldon, hoping he had finally made up his mind.

"I do believe I will have the cheeseburger, and please put the cheese and tomato on the side. I will also have the lemonade."

Their food ordered, they started planning their itinerary. "I think we should hit Fantasy Land first." Niki told him. "There are so many fun rides there. I love Mr. Toad and the King Arthur's Carousel."

I'm rather partial to Peter Pan's ride myself. I suppose we could include that one?"

"Sure. But first, I want to ride the carousel."

Sheldon stared at her curiously, "Why on earth would you want to ride the carousel? Isn't that a ride for small children?"

Niki smiled back at him, her eyes shining, "Have you ever been on it?"

"No, I haven't. And for your information, Niki, I have no intention on riding it today, either."

"Please, Sheldon," she pleaded to him, giving him her biggest, widest, eyes, "at least ride on it with me once. I would mean a lot to me."

"Okay," he relented, wondering again at the power her eyes had over him," but after that we go to Peter Pan."

"Sure." Niki answered him happily. "Then after Peter Pan, we hit Mr. Toad. After that, it's up for discussion.

After lunch, they headed for Fantasy Land and eventually found themselves in front of King Arthur's Carousel. They both got in line which, as Sheldon had predicted, held many small children and their parents. "I feel ridiculous and I most likely look like a complete and utter fool." Sheldon turned towards her and complained.

"Said the man in the Mickey Mouse shirt. This isn't ridiculous and you look like a man standing in a line. Come on, Sheldon, this will be fun, I promise you."

"Okay, but this means you have to go on Space Mountain with me." He informed her, attempting to coerce her into riding his favorite ride with him.

"Sure.", she croaked weakly, not knowing what else to say. That ride and roller coasters in general, terrified her. But, Sheldon was going along with her wishes, so she supposed she would have to go along with his. What was it the Penny had told her; don't feed him right before Space Mountain? Well, it would be at least a couple of hours before they got on that ride, if you considered the length of the lines today, so they most likely would be safe from any accidental unloading of his stomach. She sure didn't want to wear cheeseburger on her shoes all day.

Once they had chosen their carousel horses and mounted them, Sheldon turned and warned her, "You owe me big time for this, my dear." Soon, the music started and Niki remembered how much she loved this ride. The music, the lights, the up and down movement of the horses, all made her feel like a child again. She looked over at Sheldon briefly and saw that he seemed to be enjoying the ride almost as much as she was. That was good. Now maybe she could get out of going on Space Mountain.

As the ride ended, Sheldon threw her a crooked smile as he dismounted from his steed. "Well, that wasn't so bad, but I still felt silly."

Niki looked over at him winked, and barely stifled a laugh, "You ever looked at yourself in the mirror while having sex? Now _that's_ when a person truly looks silly."

Sheldon gave her a shocked look and then caught the smirk on her face and started to laugh as well, "Your right. I guess this doesn't look anywhere near as silly as that." He looked around and decided to quickly change the subject, "Look, the line is pretty short at the Peter Pan Ride. Let's go there before the wait is an hour."

After they had ridden Peter Pan and Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, Sheldon once again mentioned riding Space Mountain. Niki, realizing he was determined to get her on the ride, decided to come clean to him about her fear of roller coasters.

"Sheldon, I know we had a deal," Niki explained, "but I'm going to be honest with you here, I scared of roller coasters."

"I don't understand, what is there to be afraid of?"

"I don't really know. I just know they terrify me." This time her eyes grew wide without any ulterior motive but abject terror.

Sheldon smiled and put his arm around her, "Even if you're next to me? I won't let anything bad happen to you."

For some reason, Niki felt a thrill at the feel of his arm around her. This puzzled her, but she decided to ignore it and concentrate on what Sheldon was saying to her. "I trust you completely, but this is not a rational fear, you know that. Still, for your sake, I will try it. Like you said, there is nothing to be truly afraid of."

Sheldon removed his arm from around her shoulders and looked directly into her eyes, "Let's make an agreement between us. Every time your fear gets to be too much, just close your eyes and lean into me. Just tell yourself that I will let nothing bad happen to you. Can you do that?"

"Yes, well, I'll try, anyway. I may be leaning into you a lot. Just sayin'…"

"Not a prospect I find unattractive. Now, let's head over to Tomorrowland."

As they made their way to the other side of the park, Niki wondered just what he had meant by his last comment. It was nice that he was trying to be understanding, in fact, this was a huge leap for him. _He must really want to go on that ride with me, so I guess I'll have to do it. I hope he meant all of that. I'm not just afraid of that_ ride; _I'm scared out of my mind._

Soon they found themselves in the long, snaking line for Space Mountain. Sheldon's excitement was almost palpable; Niki's terror was close to the same.

Niki looked up. She had been so lost in her thoughts she hadn't realized Sheldon was talking to her.

"…and then, at the end of the ride, they take your picture. I always try to give an interesting face, worthy of purchasing a copy of said photograph. You do know they will sell your picture to you if you want to pay for it, right?"

"Huh? Oh yeah, I know about the pictures. My friends sometimes bought a picture and sometimes they just wanted to look up at the screens and see how funny they had looked."

"I take it you have never been on this ride, but have seen your friends go on it. Am I correct?"

"Yes, I've never been brave enough to ride it before. But I did promise you, so I'll do it."

Sheldon turned to her and gave her a kind look, "If you are truly worried about your safety, I'm not going to force you, you know."

"Is that so? What made you change your mind about me riding this torture device with you?"

Sheldon sighed, "In the past, certain people have told me that whenever I want something I can be very self-centered and stubborn. I think this may be one of those times I should not proceed with that attitude."

"No, Sheldon. I promised you and that is that. People have also told me that whenever I do not want to face something that is uncomfortable for me I can become very avoidant. I think this is more a time for me to change my thought process than it is a time for you to change yours. I am going to go on this damn ride and you are going to help me."

"So be it. Let us proceed to the loading platform." He nodded to her as the cars for the ride quickly came into view.

Niki wasn't too worried until they were seated on the ride and the countdown had begun. As she heard, _"10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1…"_ she began to tremble and shake, dreading the horror of what was to come.

And then, the ride took off into the darkness, racing up and down and making quick sideways turns at a very fast speed, or at least they seemed fast to Niki. As she had promised, whenever she felt terrified, which was about every two seconds at first, she screamed, closed her eyes, and buried her face in Sheldon's neck. As the ride progressed, she found herself slightly less terrified, but allowed Sheldon to continue to hold her close just because it felt safe, secure, and good to be held by him. By the end of the ride she was actually enjoying herself and joined Sheldon in mugging for the camera.

"There, that wasn't too bad, was it?" he asked her as they exited the ride.

"No, it wasn't, thanks to you. Hey, let's buy our picture to commemorate my first ride on a roller coaster."

"All right. Do you think we could ride it again, later?" he asked her in an expectant voice. "Unless, of course, you don't care for hugging my neck."

Niki went red with embarrassment, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to strangle you."

Sheldon went to the counter to order two copies of their picture, turned and smiled at her, "No apologies necessary…yes, two copies, please…you were scared. I give you a lot of credit for going on the ride even though you were terrified. That took a lot of intestinal fortitude, or as they more commonly say, guts."

"Thanks for the compliment, but you owe me one for that." She told him as they collected their photos.

Pictures in hand, they left to explore more of the park.

"Hey Sheldon," Niki cried, "there's the submarine ride. I love that ride, can we go on it?'

Sheldon pulled a disgusted face and answered her, "While I don't generally care for being in small, enclosed, places that expose me to the germs of others, I will make an exception this time and ride that with you."

"You don't have to" Niki told him in a disappointed voice, "I know how you avoid things like that."

"Yes, I usually do, but this might be fun." Sheldon was secretly relishing the idea of sitting very close to Niki and this thought somehow overcame his germ phobia. He wondered why the thought of being close to Niki was suddenly so attractive to him. He had been around her almost every day for several weeks without desiring any closer contact than that necessary for dancing, but suddenly, being close to Niki was all he could think of. On Space Mountain, her slight frame had felt wonderful when it had come into contact with his. In fact, no person had been able to elicit that feeling from him since Amy, and it had taken her years to get him to that point. It was most perplexing. Niki was nothing at all like Amy, and yet she was conjuring up feelings in him that were very similar to those he had felt for his late wife. Sheldon's natural curiosity encouraged him to explore this feeling further. After all, what harm could come from sitting close to, or even hugging the woman?

Eventually they entered the submarine and took their seats. Sheldon hadn't realized just how close the quarters were and he felt decidedly uncomfortable. Suddenly, Niki turned to him and placed a hand on his knee. "Sheldon, I know this is difficult for you. So…thank you. If you get too uncomfortable you can always grab my hand. I won't let anything bad happen to you." Sheldon wasn't sure that the words hadn't been said tongue-in-cheek, to mimic his own words from earlier in the day. But then he looked at Niki's face, and the kindness that filled it, and most of his fears were allayed. He realized that she had spoken the words to him with the best of intentions and he returned her smile.

"It is comforting to know that I will be in such good hands. I do believe I will be fine."

The submarine soon took off on its make believe "voyage". The two scientists found much amusement in the cheesy décor of the "lagoon", great enchantment in the amazing Finding Nemo holograms, and immense pleasure in sitting close together. So pleased was Sheldon with the experience that he never once had to reach for Niki's hand. It was enough that she was there, a mere inch away.

After exiting the submarine they made their way to other rides they had put on their list. Star Tours and The Matterhorn Bobsleds, where she once again screamed and hid her head in Sheldon's neck, much to his delight. After the Bobsleds, Niki sat on a nearby bench and in a tired voice asked him, "Could we rest here for a moment? I'm absolutely exhausted!"

"But of course, it has been quite a long day for both of us. I was thinking that we should rest here for a few minutes and then make our way back to the hotel."

"Oh no! We can't do that yet!" she cried in alarm. We have to watch the fireworks. I refuse to leave tonight without viewing them."

Sheldon was taken aback at her insistence. He now saw that Niki could be as stubborn as he was, given the right impetus. Sighing, joined her on the bench and told her, "If we want to catch the fireworks, we should get going fairly soon. I have always watched them from right in front of It's A Small World. The view is excellent from there."

Niki nodded, "Agreed. That is where I used to watch them with my mother. She loved the fireworks. Has your mother ever seen them?"

"Oh yes." Sheldon answered her with a severe eye roll. "Every time she comes here for a visit she insists on coming to Disneyland. Where does your mother live, if I may ask?" Sheldon suddenly realized he knew next to nothing about Niki's background.

"Wisconsin. But she used to live close to Pasadena. When my father died, she moved back home to be with her sisters."

"Were you born in Wisconsin?" he asked her, curious to find out more about her and her family.

"No, I was born here, near L.A., but my entire family is from the Midwest."

"My family lives in Texas. Have you ever been there?"

"Once, for business. I went to a conference in Dallas." Niki shook her head. "It's a beautiful city, but I never felt comfortable there. I don't think I would fit in very well in Texas."

"I understand completely. I never did." Sheldon stood up and dusted off his pants, "Well, shall we go? The fireworks are scheduled to start in exactly ten minutes. One of my favorite things about this place is their strict adherence to a schedule."

They found a secluded place to sit, away from all the running, playing, children and their parents. In the dark, they waited for the fireworks show to start.

Niki looked over at Sheldon happily, "I had a wonderful time today. This was so much fun, every second of it."

"Even Space Mountain?" he teased her.

"That was probably the best part. You helped me to do something I was very scared to do. That meant a lot to me."

Sheldon stared at her for a long moment before speaking, "And now I would like you to help me do something I have been very scared to do." Before Niki could answer him, Sheldon cupped her face in his hands, leaned in, and kissed her very gently and sweetly on the lips.

 _What the…Sheldon is kissing me! He's my buddy, buddies don't kiss each other. But his kiss is quite nice. I like this. I like this very, very much._ Niki responded by breaking the kiss, leaning into his body and wrapping her arms around his neck. "Happy birthday, Sheldon." was all she could get out before they resumed their kiss and all lucid thoughts escaped her . In a dreamlike state, she gave herself over to the wonder of being kissed by Dr. Sheldon Lee Cooper.

 _I hope she won't hate me for this. Oh, she seems to be responding positively. Happy birthday? That must mean…_ Sheldon's thoughts stopped as he gave himself over to the intense pleasure of, once again, kissing Dr. Nikita Horner.

When they finally broke their kiss, the fireworks show began. As they watched the bright colors burst overhead, Niki laid her head on Sheldon's shoulder, craving a closeness to this man she had been denying to herself for some time. Sheldon looked down at her every so often and kissed the top of her head, giving in to a tender feeling for this woman he had been denying to himself for weeks. _She's not like Amy at all, but she is wonderful all the same. This is the best birthday present I have received for a very long time._

When the fireworks ended, Sheldon took Niki by the hand. "There's something we have to do." He told her. When she looked at him quizzically, he put a finger to his lips to silence her. "Just close your eyes and follow me." He stood up and led her from their seats, leading her down the pathway with a strong sense of purpose and mystery.

 **Where is Sheldon taking Niki? What is going to happen next for these two? Stay tuned. The answers are coming shortly.**


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15: Because Timing is Everything

 **Will Niki and Sheldon do the deed? I guess you will have to read further to find out.**

Niki kept a firm grip Sheldon's hand and followed him blindly, her trust in him unwavering. She had no idea where they were headed, but she knew whatever happened there would be both surprising and safe at the same time. Everyone thought of Sheldon Cooper as boring, stubborn, rude, and single minded. Part of that was true, but only to some degree. No one's personality was set in stone and Sheldon was no exception to the rule. The past few weeks had shown her that he was anything but boring and stubborn. Given the right motivation, Sheldon was extremely willing to try new things and more fun to be with than anyone she had ever known. That was the reason she was allowing him to shepherd her through a dark amusement park, headed for god knows where. She had a feeling that whatever was to come would be either very exciting or very interesting, hopefully both.

They finally turned a corner and Niki knew where they were by the sounds surrounding her. They were somewhere near the Tomorrowland Terrace. Earlier that day she had noticed that the band playing that day featured show tunes and soft rock, both of which suited the mood of the place perfectly. The savory smells she detected reminded her that it had been many hours since they had eaten. Sheldon had been thinking quite logically, unlike herself, to bring her here. But why did she have to close her eyes? She had been here many times before today. What was the surprise?

"Sit here, please," Sheldon instructed her as he led her to a table and pulled out a chair, "and don't open your eyes until I return."

"Where on earth are you going?" She asked him, carefully arranging herself in the proffered chair.

"To get us something to eat, silly. We haven't eaten since lunch. I'm assuming you are hungry. Am I correct?"

"Well, yes, but why do I have to keep my eyes closed?"

"You'll see. Just be patient for a couple of minutes longer." With that, Sheldon turned and strode off, his destination seemingly clear in his mind.

"Okay", she called after him, "but this better be good!"

e was gone for close to ten minutes. When he returned he told her that she could now open her eyes. What Niki saw in front of her were two slices of pizza, some drinks, and a happy Sheldon, his face lit up like a super nova.

"Ahh pizza! And my favorite, too. No pepperoni. A girl could get to like you, Cooper."

"And a guy could get to like you, also." Sheldon again put his finger to his lips, "Oh, listen, the bandleader is about to make an announcement."

Niki took a bite of her pizza and turned in her chair to focus on the band and their announcement.

 _Ladies and gentlemen, we have just been given a special request._ _This song is a dedication to Niki from Sheldon. His dedication goes as follows: Niki, the first time we ever danced was to this song, and since that first dance I have not been able to get either this song, or you, out of my mind. Would you do me the honor of dancing with me once again to this beautiful song that reminds me so much of you?_

Niki's mouth dropped open as she turned to look at Sheldon, who stood up and offered her his hand. With a silly smile on her face, she took his hand and followed him to the dance floor as the intro to La _st_ Night of the World began. As they started dancing, the lyrics of the song raced across her mind.

 _(If you want the full impact of this moment between our two lovebirds, go to Youtube and have a listen. In my humble opinion, this is one of the loveliest songs ever written.)_

The first time they had danced to this song it had been her idea and Niki had been busy critiquing his technique. This time, Sheldon had asked her to dance and it was very different than any time they had danced together before. Tonight, their hearts and bodies were in perfect sync and they moved as one this time led by both the music of the song and that intangible something that only lovers share. Sheldon looked down at Niki and she looked up at him, both of them lost in each other's eyes.

 _How could I have failed until now to notice how handsome Sheldon Cooper is, and how caring? I remember when I told him about my time in rehab. He could have judged me harshly or rejected me at that moment. Instead, he reached out to me with understanding and kindness. Since then, he has been nothing but supportive and kind to me, in his own way. Let others judge him; I know I have found a beautiful friend who comes in a slightly different package than most people. I don't care. Sheldon Cooper is the best thing to enter my life since I lost Paul, and I'm not about to turn him away because of what other people think._

 _How come I never noticed before today how brave Niki is, and how much fun she can be? She makes me laugh and forget about my pompous, ego-centric self. I know I can be annoying and trying, but time and time again, she searches me out to join her in her fun. She accepts me exactly as I am and never fails to make my life more full. How lucky am I to have found a beautiful person who makes me feel alive again? I know people say we are too different, that we shouldn't be together, but I don't care about that. Niki Horner is the best thing to come into my life since Amy, and I'm not about to lose her because of what other people think._

Too soon the music ended and the magical spell was broken. As they left the dance floor, a man came up to Sheldon and handed him a business card, which he glanced at briefly and stuck in his pocket in an absent minded manner.

Immediately after their dance, Niki and Sheldon caught the Monorail back to their hotel. Niki was anxious to explore these new feelings she had and she wanted to explore them with Sheldon.

As they left the elevator and walked to their respective rooms, Sheldon did something completely unexpected, he left her. When the door to her room opened, he had kissed her softly and said, "It is getting late and we both have a lot to think about before this goes any further. I am in no way saying I find you unattractive, Niki, I just think we both need time to think how we are going to proceed with this. I will call you first thing in the morning and take my best girl to a marvelous breakfast after we have both had a chance to sleep on it. Is that okay with you?" He had remembered to always ask for Niki's input on these sorts of things, he never wanted to see angry Niki again, nor would he if he could at all help it.

Niki looked up at him, disappointment written all over her face, but she did understand where he was coming from. From best buds to lovers in a space of twelve hours was a bit much. She smiled, kissed him on the cheek and turned to enter her room. "I know this has all happened so fast, so if you need time to think, I will give it to you. Goodnight and thank you for a wonderful, amazing, fantastic, day." With that, they each went into their separate rooms.

Niki grabbed a Canada Dry and went out on the balcony to view the lights of the park. _What a beautiful place to fall in love_. She said to herself. _If only Sheldon had wanted to be here to share this with me._ Several minutes passed when suddenly, a rapid knock came on the door and she reluctantly left the balcony to answer it. She looked through the peephole and was surprised to see Sheldon standing there with a huge grin plastered across his face. She supposed he had purposefully avoided using his usual knock to fool her. _Brilliant move, Cooper._ Niki quickly opened the door and he entered pushing a breakfast cart that had several silver containers perched on top of it.

"Bazinga! I wasn't going to sleep at all! I returned to the lobby and took it upon myself to bring this food up here. I figured we could both stand a meal, seeing as how we completely forgot to finish our pizza back at the park."

Niki just kept staring, trying to make sense of what she was seeing in front of her. "How did you have time to do all this?"

"I called ahead and ordered it while using the restroom on our way out."

"You had all this planned?" Nike waved her hand at the cart full of food.

"Not until after the fireworks, then my mind went into genius overdrive." Sheldon leaned in, nuzzled her neck and whispered to her, "Hungry?"

"Oh, Dr. Cooper, you are so bad!" she teased and pulled him closer to her.

Sheldon took a hasty step backwards and pronounced, "Well, I believe we should eat and then have a shower before we explore that hypothesis. But explore it we will. That's what all good scientists do."

"And it's much better when they explore new hypotheses with a partner, is it not?"

Sheldon's eyes mentally undressed her as he uncovered the silver containers. "Oh yes, the research becomes much more in depth and thorough when it's done with a partner. I have been gifted with an eidetic memory so I remember you saying you liked sushi and that yellowtail and eel were your favorites, so here you go. I am having tangerine chicken with brown rice, _my_ favorite. Bon appétit!"

"Now or later?" Niki asked him as she sensuously bit into a sushi roll.

"Who's bad now, Dr. Horner?" Sheldon asked as he gave her a wicked look.

They soon finished their meal and Niki stood up and walked slowly towards the restroom. "Shower, anyone?" she called back at a slack jawed Sheldon, as she removed a different article of clothing for every step she took.

Sheldon was no stranger to seduction, he had been married to a very sexy woman for several years, but he had never encountered such a blatant display of seduction as this before in his life. Not knowing what else to do, he followed her and began taking his shirt off. It wasn't long before Niki came over and helped him remove the rest of his clothes. Before he knew it he was in the shower with Niki and she began to slowly soap up his body, sensually covering his entire body with lather. She started at chest level and moved down, never missing an inch of his skin. She wordlessly handed him a bar of soap and indicated he should do the same to her. He began to mimic her actions, relishing the feel of her naked body beneath his hands. In the future, Sheldon would never forget that shower, the sheer sexual overtones displayed and the inflamed desire that welled up from within him. He learned one very important thing that night, Niki's sensuality was an all consuming fire. Once lit, there was no turning back for either of them. They left the shower and headed for the bed, but before they could reach it she pulled him to her and continued her intense exploration of his body. Niki made love using her entire body to taste, feel, explore, and satisfy both of them. Her hands, lips, and teeth went everywhere, calling forth a desire that Sheldon had never before experienced. That she could do this in a vertical position amazed him and he moaned loudly. When the bed was finally reached, they both continued their sexual exploration and discovery. No modest virgin like Amy had been their first time, Niki knew what she wanted and demanded it with every taste and touch. Sheldon had never made love like this in his life and he was both amazed and frightened of how his body responded to Niki's desire. Amy's desire had been soft and steady, a low flame that eventually erupted into a blazing fire. Niki's desire was more intense and instantaneous. Sheldon also noted that her body was very unlike Amy's. Niki's was longer and leaner, less curvy than Amy's had been, much like a greyhound. He had adored Amy's body but he found great pleasure in Niki's as well. Her sleek form fit his slender one perfectly, as if they were made to be together. Her long legs encircled him and her hips writhed beneath him, demanding more and more until they both cried out in pleasure and collapsed on the bed, their breathing hard and their chests heaving.

Niki finished eating and pondered the proper etiquette for seducing Sheldon Cooper. He wasn't like other men, but wait, maybe in some areas he was. She popped an after dinner mint into her mouth as she gave this idea more thought. She knew she had a good body for her age, so maybe she should use that, along with some basic psychology to get this show started. Sheldon _was_ a deep thinker, after all. She decided that she needed a shower anyway, so she walked towards the shower and gave him an open invitation to join her. She had always shed her clothes on her way to bathe, so she did not give it a conscious thought as she did so again. How was she to know that one, simple, act would get his libido running in high gear? Once in the shower, Sheldon was more than receptive to mutual washing; in fact, he seemed to be enjoying himself immensely. Even better, he was also skilled at it. As a lover, Niki found Sheldon surprisingly gentle, yet voracious at the same time. She had expected a shy, conservative lover and what she got was a man eager, gifted, and sensual. Sheldon was very different from Paul. Paul had been a large man who many people had mistaken for a football player. He loved with a single minded purpose that had driven Niki mad with desire. Unlike Paul, Sheldon's body was sleeker, less muscled, but he loved her with every part of that body, missing nothing. No single mindedness here. Sheldon loved her in myriad ways, just when she thought he could give no more, more was given. To her delight, Niki quickly discovered that Sheldon was also a very unselfish lover who had no problems at all pleasing her and allowing himself to be pleased, in any way, shape, or form she desired. Afterwards, she fell back on the bed, not quite believing what had just taken place. Her feelings for him had gone from a warm glow to a burning blaze, all in the last hour. Yes, the verdict was in, Sheldon Cooper was a genius in many areas.

When he had somewhat recovered, Sheldon took his right index finger and caressed Niki's cheek. "You're nothing like Amy at all."

She took his hand in hers, raised it to her lips and lightly kissed it. "Is that good or bad?"

"Neither. It is simply correct. Amy was the perfect woman for me at the time I met her. I needed someone patient, forgiving, and tolerant of all my many faults and foibles. She was all of that. Amy was patient enough to wait for years for what we did mere hours after our first kiss." He turned and propped himself on his elbow, "You wouldn't have put up with me for a minute if you had known me back then, and I would have run as fast as my legs could carry me away from you."

Niki turned and snuggled against his warm chest, "Why would you have run?"

Sheldon returned to lying on his back and pulled her with him, "You would have terrified me. You, little lady, take life by the horns and throttle it, wringing every last drop out of it. You know what you want and you waste no time in getting it. You would have not allowed me to ignore you, unintentionally insult you, or put off admitting and showing my feelings for you. You're not like that at all. That is why you and I would not have worked back then. But now, now is the time for me to grow up. _That_ is why you are perfect for me now. You will not allow me to skate by with a sad sigh, resignation, and hope; you will let me know _exactly_ how you feel. At the top of your lungs, in fact." He looked at her and smiled. "I need that now and then. Niki, you have helped me grow in so many ways. You live every moment you are alive and, thanks to you, I am learning how to do that, too. Simply put, Amy taught me how to love, and you have taught me how to live. I am a very lucky man to have known two such incredible women."

Niki looked up at Sheldon and touched his cheek. "You don't see it, but you have also helped me with life in so many ways. Thanks to you, I trust again. Thanks to you, I have stopped doubting myself. Thanks to you, I have learned to love again. Not bad for a man I have only known a few weeks, not bad at all."

"You love me?" Sheldon sat up and stared at her, taking in her words with intense concentration.

"Isn't that what this was all about?" Niki looked at him in confusion. "Correct me if I am mistaken here."

Sheldon shook his head and reached for her hand, "No, you are not incorrect. I just have a hard time putting my feelings into words, so I don't know if you realize how I feel about you."

Niki flashed him the cheeky grin he had come to know so well, "As long as you show me now and again as you just did, we will have no problems with that, whatsoever."

"That I can agree to." He started to say, "If you'd like I can write us up a relationship agreement….", but never got the chance to finish, as Niki's lips prevented him from speaking further. _All right, I suppose I am past that stage of my life, anyway. Who needs a contract when there is a woman next to you that will see to it that things keep running as they should?_ Sheldon sighed and returned her kiss. Soon, they were both incapable of coherent thought, contract or not.

Later, when Niki had caught her breath, she told Sheldon, "We must get some sleep now. I do believe check out time is ten o'clock."

Sheldon chuckled softly, "Oh, did I forget to mention that I booked us here for another night? I must have forgotten to tell you amid all that torrid coitus."

"Cooper, you're an angel. And a very brilliant angel at that. You had everything covered, didn't you?"

Sheldon kissed her on the lips very sweetly, "I knew I wanted another night of this, and another day at Disney. What was I supposed to do?"

"Exactly what you did. Oh by the way, you know how I said you owed me for riding Space Mountain with you? Well, debt paid in full. You wanna know something else? You are still the person I enjoy being with the most. Does what happened tonight change the fact that you are my best friend? I'd hate to think that it has."

"Not at all." He was quick to reassure her, "Best friends make the best lovers. I've always known that. You are still my best friend. But Niki?"

"Yes?"

"I still have to ask this to make it official, so humor me here: Will you be my girlfriend? And my best friend as well? You can be both, you know."

"Your best friend I am honored to say I already am. And of course I'll be your girlfriend, Sheldon. I can't think of anything else I'd rather be. " Niki cuddled even closer to his warm, comforting, body.

"What about a Nobel Prize winner?" he teased her.

A dreamy look covered Niki's face, "Well, okay, that, too."

"I'm relieved to know we're on the same page about that. We still have work to do on our hypothesis."

"Which we will return to first thing Tuesday morning." Niki suddenly sat straight up, a worried frown on her face. "Sheldon, shouldn't we call Raj and let him know we will be coming back a day late?"

Sheldon murmured in a drowsy voice, "I've already informed him of that earlier this evening, while I was getting the food."

"You devil, Cooper. Always one step ahead of me." She lay back down, pacified and drowsy.

Sheldon lay on his side and pulled Niki close. "Just this time, that's all. Now, I do believe you were correct in that we should get some sleep. Tomorrow is more Disneyland. Goodnight, Dr. Horner."

"Good night, Dr. Cooper."

A minute later, she heard a sleepy voice ask her, "Niki?"

"Umm, what?"

"Did you look in the mirror?"

Despite her being more than halfway asleep, she started laughing so hard she almost fell off the bed.

The happy couple spent most of the next day riding the rides they had missed the day before. For a man who generally disliked public displays of affection, Sheldon somehow managed to steal a kiss any time there were dark places they could not be seen by others, notably on Pirates of the Caribbean and The Haunted Mansion. He was even able to persuade Niki to ride Space Mountain once more by telling her that he would, once again, owe her one. Predictably, this time it wasn't terror that made her hold Sheldon tight throughout the ride. In the middle of the day they stopped off for ice cream at the Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor, Sheldon had a scoop of chocolate and Niki had her favorite, strawberry. They were quite a sight walking down Mainstreet, two adults wearing Mickey Mouse ears and licking ice cream cones. They couldn't have cared less, they were having fun, they had ice cream, and they were in love. This was a pleasant combination of things that made for a lovely day for both of them.

By late afternoon they were both ready to return to the hotel to enjoy a romantic candlelight dinner in the hotel's exquisite dining room, another sensual shower and more…fun. Monday morning found both of them more than ready to leave the Magic Kingdom and return to their everyday lives. They were missing their friends and their work more than a little bit, so it was with light hearts that they checked out of their hotel and headed for home, but not before making the promise between themselves to spend Sheldon's birthday at this same hotel every year.

 **I want to thank everyone who reads and/or gives a review. They mean quite a bit to me and keep me plugging along. I have a few chapters waiting to be published, so enjoy this ride for a while longer. I'm having so much fun writing about all of these characters.**


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16: A Penny for Your Thoughts

 **Taking a short break from Niki and Sheldon to focus on Niki and Penny. Don't worry, we'll get back to our lovebirds soon. Where this story is going deeply involves Penny, so I have to write a chapter that mostly features Niki and Penny getting closer. I love writing the "girl talk" sessions!**

Monday afternoon, after Sheldon had seen her to her apartment and left for his, Niki had just enough time to drop her bags on the floor when a chime told her she had received a text message. Curious, she pulled her phone from her bag and saw an urgent text from Penny. _Call me…NOW!_ Fearing something catastrophic had happened to her friend, she immediately called her.

 _Hey, Penny. What's the matter? Are you okay?_

 _Can you come over, right now?_

Penny did not sound like the world had ended, so Niki relaxed a bit. _Why now? Can't you come here?_

 _Not really. I need to run something by you and I think you could help me make a very big decision. I always think better in my own home. Please come over here. Please? I've got chilled Canada Dry waiting for you._

Niki looked down at her unpacked luggage and shrugged. _Okay, look, I'll be there, but please give me time to unpack first. I just walked in the door!_

 _Oh that's right; you were at Disneyland with Sheldon. How did that go?_

Niki's face lit up with an inner glow. _Fine. We had a lot of fun and he got us rooms at the most amazing…_

 _Hey, I'm glad you had a good time,_ Penny interrupted her, _but could you save it until you get here? I really need to see you._

 _Look, give me a half hour and I'll be over. Wait, Leonard and Sheldon will be there, won't they? How can we talk with them around?_ If Penny wanted to talk about something serious, why meet at her place?

 _Oh, they left a few minutes ago for Raj's house. I think they're all going to the comic book store or something. We'll have the place to ourselves for the rest of the evening I'd imagine._

Niki looked down once more at all her unpacked bags and the unwrapped gifts she had bought and gave a resigned sigh, _Okay, I'll be there in a few. 'Bye._

 _Thanks! I appreciate this more than you know._

Thirty minutes later found NIki dressed in sweats and sitting cross legged on Penny's couch, sipping a Canada Dry, and listening to her latest news.

Penny leaned forward excitedly. "So, remember last week when we all went dancing?"

Niki looked at her friend, putting down her glass in an exasperated gesture, "Of course I do, I'm not daft."

"Well," Penny continued, "that night Leonard suggested I audition for the Pasadena Playhouse. He thought that might make me happy, to go back into acting kind of part time."

Now it was Niki's turn to show excitement. "Well, did you? Audition, I mean."

"Yeah, and I got accepted into their reparatory company."

Niki was very proud of her friend and reached over and hugged her tightly, "That's amazing! I'm so happy for you. When did you find out?"

Penny disengaged herself from Niki's hug and put up her hand, "Today, actually, this morning. Wait though, you haven't heard everything. I got accepted, which was good, but I guess my audition was a little too good."

Niki was now thoroughly confused, "I'm not sure I understand you. What do you mean by that? Don't you want to act again?"

Penny stood up and started pacing the room, "Of course, but only as a sideline. It turns out they offered me a major role in their next production. Not the lead, but close to it."

Niki took a sip of her drink, and screwed up her face in an intense effort to understand Penny's attitude. "That's great! So…what's the problem?"

Penny sat back down, played with her can of soda and looked up at Niki, indecision written all over her face. "If I accept this, I will probably have to give up my day job. That's scary. Leonard and I need that money."

"Will this pay less?" Niki asked, assuming it was a money problem.

Penny shook her head sadly, "No, more actually. It's just that there's no guarantee how long this play will last. It could close in a week, or run the entire season. It's such a gamble. It's not just my life I'm playing with here, it's Leonard's too. Acting is always a gamble. Always. I'd just forgotten how much of one. When there is a second party involved the decisions don't come so easily."

Niki nodded, now clearly perceiving the difficulty involved. "Wow, that is a dilemma isn't it?" Niki suddenly looked her friend straight in the eyes, grabbed her by the shoulders, and asked her, "Okay, what is your gut telling you to do?"

"My gut is telling me to take the acting job."

Niki nodded reassuringly, "Good. And what has Leonard said, if anything?"

Penny got up from her couch again and walked away from Niki. "I haven't told him yet."

"Don't you think you ought to?"

Penny turned back towards Niki and returned to the couch, "Of course, but I wanted your take on the situation first. You're pretty smart."

Niki took a sip from her glass and thought a minute. "But Penny, so is Leonard. Besides, I'm not an actress. I don't know what I'd do in this situation."

"Okay, let me put this in a way you can understand. Let's say you and Sheldon were married and you had a chance to work with Stephen Hawking. _But_ , you would have to quit working at Cal Tech and there was no guarantee how long the job with Hawking would last. Now, what would you do?"

Niki put her drink down and answered quickly and with resolution, "I'd take the job with Hawking. Definitely."

"No doubts?"

"Absolutely none." Now it was Niki's turn to get up and pace the room. "Look, Penny, my dream has always been to go as far as I could in physics. Now, I'm doing pretty darn good working with Sheldon, he's one of the leading theoretical physicists in the country. BUT, Stephen Hawking is Stephen Hawking. It doesn't get any better than that." She turned to Penny and told her, "Go with your passion, Penny. You can't go wrong."

Penny gazed up at her friend, her entire face a living question mark, "What do you think Sheldon would tell you about working for Hawking?"

Niki sat back down and picked up her drink, "He'd kill me, literally, if I didn't choose Hawking. He'd most likely hope to get in tight with him if I worked there. Look, forget about me. If a man cares for you he wants you happy, and I know Leonard loves you. Go with the acting, Penny. Pharmaceutical sales will always be there, acting may not."

"Thanks so much for that." Penny stared off into space, "I was leaning towards taking the part, but I wanted to be sure."

"Penny, Sheldon doesn't talk about when you acted much, but what he _has_ said is that the one time he saw you act, you blew him away. Sheldon Cooper does not throw around praise lightly. You're good enough, just have faith in yourself. If this play closes I'm sure they will find you another one. Now, you just have to figure out how to tell Leonard."

"Yeah, that's the problem. But like you said, if he loves me, and I know he does, he would want me to be happy, and acting is what makes me happy. I haven't been very happy lately."

"Yeah, I noticed that". Niki spied Penny's soda can. "Hey, you're not drinking wine tonight. What's up with that?"

Penny gave a wry smile and a shrug of her shoulders, "Let's just say wine would do me no good right now. Plus, I don't need it at the moment."

"Huh? I don't understand. I'm happy you're not drinking but…"

Penny pretended to be dealing with a hangnail while she explained, "Well, before we start celebrating my future theatric successes, there is one little problem."

"What's that?"

She stopped her hangnail charade and sadly explained, "They want me to lose ten pounds."

Niki put down her drink and stared open mouthed at Penny. "Why on earth would they want you to do that? You're perfectly fine as you are! I'd die for your body! It's perfect!"

"Not for acting. I'm a little too zaftig for them. You, on the other hand, would be perfect."

Niki stared at Penny disbelievingly. "Excuse me?"

"You're naturally thin, very thin. It's the look they want now."

Niki shook her head emphatically, "I could never be an actress, Penny. I'm not suited for it."

"Why not? You've got an interesting look. And your eyes are amazing!"

"Penny, I'm not suited for it because I don't want to be an actress. Would you like to be a physicist?"

"Oh hell no!" Penny yelped.

Niki grinned at her. "So, it's the same thing with me. Now, let's figure out how to get those ten pounds off of you. How long did they give you to lose them?"

"Three weeks."

"Yikes! Let's get going. We haven't got a minute to spare. What kind of exercise program have you been using?"

Penny gave her a forlorn look. "I don't have an exercise program. I've never had to use one before".

Niki gave it some thought before she suggested, "Well, Sheldon and I rollerblade to work at least a couple of times a week. Would you care to join us?"

Penny shook her head decisively, "Not really. Seeing Sheldon on skates once was more than enough."

Niki cupped her chin in her hands and frowned in concentration. Suddenly, her hands went down and her mood perked up. "How about Paintball? We're doing that on Sunday. You're welcome to join us. Crawling around with guns and ammo strapped to you must burn a ton of calories!"

"Uh, no thanks. I look bad in camouflage and I hate getting dirty crawling around on the ground."

"Okay, well then, let's start by revamping your diet. What healthy food do you enjoy eating?"

"I like sushi." Penny volunteered in a hopeful voice.

"That's a great start. Sushi is very good for you and not a whole lot of calories." Niki looked at Penny eagerly as she rose from the couch. "I've got an idea! Let's go for sushi right now. We can talk over dinner and between the two of us, we are sure to come up with something that works for you."

Penny got up, also, and suggested, "Could we give Bernadette a call to join us? I'll bet Howard is out with the other guys and if she can get someone to watch Kelly, we could make a girls' night out of it."

Niki nodded enthusiastically, "Sounds good. You call her while I use your restroom."

A short time later, Niki met with Penny in the hallway, both of them headed for the bedroom and their jackets. As they walked back down the hall towards the living room, she asked Penny, "For exercise, why don't you try yoga? I use it occasionally. It's not as high impact as running or those silly celebrity fitness DVDs you have, don't lie I've seen them, and it will get you pretty fit and flexible."

Neither of them had noticed Sheldon and Leonard enter the apartment and before Penny could give Niki an answer, Sheldon blurted out, "That's correct. I can tell you for a fact that Niki is quite flexible." Niki wheeled to stare at him mouth ajar and red-faced. He immediately looked guilty and mumbled, "Oops. I wasn't supposed to say that, was I?"

Penny eyes danced with delight as she stared at an embarrassed Niki, threw a knowing wink to Leonard and playfully quizzed Sheldon, "Hey, Shelly, what's that mark on your neck?" When he, too, went scarlet, Penny thought to herself, _Girlfriend Got Busy this weekend!_

 **Will Niki be able to help Penny? Will Penny and Bernadette find out about the change in Sheldon and Niki's relationship? Stay tuned for the next exciting chapter! lol**


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17: Channeling Her Inner B*tch

 **When Sheldon and Amy had sex the first time, the others barely mentioned it. Not this time, folks.**

Sheldon turned to Penny, his look of embarrassment turning to one of annoyance, "I can't see how anything that is or is not on my neck is any of your business!"

Niki walked over to Sheldon and put her hand on his shoulder, "I think she was just teasing you in a friendly way. Penny would never intentionally upset you, you know that."

"Perhaps you're right. I'm sorry Penny, I may have overreacted to your question."

"Apology accepted. I was just having a little fun. I didn't mean to be too nosey. Now, NIki and I are headed out for some sushi with Bernadette. We won't be long, so don't worry, okay?" Penny kissed Leonard and patted Sheldon on the cheek on their way out. "Say good bye to the boys, Niki."

"Goodbye, guys. See you later." Niki looked at Sheldon and raised her eyebrows to form an unspoken question. He nodded to her and crossed the room to close the space between them. When he reached her side, Sheldon leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. "Goodbye. I shall see you later. You ladies have a good time."

"It looks like you two already have." Penny said with a knowing smile. She motioned for Niki to follow her out the door. "Come on, Lover Girl, let's get going."

Twenty minutes later Penny and Niki met Bernie outside of O2, their favorite sushi restaurant. When they had entered and been seated, the interrogation began in earnest.

Penny started, "So, I see you and Sheldon truly made Disneyland the Happiest Place on Earth. And after all those times you said it would never happen."

Niki defended herself, "I'm telling you guys, the man set me up. I believe his first move was highly premeditated."

"How's that?" Penny leaned forward and eagerly inquired.

Niki explained, "Well, he got me on rides that made me grab on to him for dear life. After the first one he was very friendly and touchy-feely the rest of the day."

Bernadette looked up from reading her menu, "So why didn't you tell him to stop?"

Niki blushed and hung her head. "Uh, well, I guess I kinda liked it."

"Uh huh. Okay, how did the good stuff start?" Penny asked her with an evil grin. "How did he end up with that glorious hickey on his neck?"

Bernie's eyes went wide, "Sheldon has a hickey?"

"Yep. A big one." Penny pointed at Niki, "Courtesy of our little friend here. It was you, right?"

Niki sputtered her response. "Of course it was me! And how it got there is kinda private, okay?"

"Well, we KNOW how it got there; we sure don't think it was a vacuum cleaner that did it. But how did your lips meet his neck," Penny looked closer at Niki, "and his meet yours? I swear, we can't leave you two alone for a minute."

"I don't know, he kissed me right before the fireworks show and then one thing led to another."

"What kind of things?" Bernie asked her lasciviously with a gleam in her eye.

"Well, he took me back to the Tomorrowland Terrace and had the band there play our favorite song for us to dance to."

"Did they do a dedication?" Penny asked, her interest growing by the second.

"Yeah, he even arranged for that."

"And then?' Penny and Bernie asked in unison.

Niki smiled at her friends and told them, "We went back to the hotel and he brought a catered dinner up to my room."

Penny stopped her by holding up her hand, "Wait. Wait. Wait just a minute. Sheldon Cooper did all of this? _Sheldon Cooper?_ You know, anal, kinda socially awkward, big nerd, loves comic books, Dr. Who, and Star Trek, calls making love coitus? _That_ Sheldon Cooper?

Niki nodded, "Uh huh, that Sheldon Cooper."

Penny slapped the table with her hand, "Damn!"

"Did he ever use _his_ room?" Bernadette teased her.

"No, he just put his stuff in it."

Bernie giggled, "That's not the only thing he put his stuff in."

Niki eyes grew wide with shock as she exclaimed, "Bernie!"

"Sorry. I've just been around Howie so long it sort of rubs off. "

Penny interrupted them, "Okay, I know we won't get any of the dirty details, but how did you get him to do the deed? Amy waited years for that."

Niki squirmed uncomfortably in her seat, "Well, I invited him into the shower and one thing led to another."

"OOOOH!" her friends chimed together. "Girlfriend, did you play 'drop the soap?" Penny leaned forward, dying to know all the details.

"I didn't need to." Niki put her menu in front of her face and pretended to read it. "It got rather steamy after we started washing each other."

"OOOOH! He washed you?" her friends asked in a single voice.

Niki put her menu down and shyly grinned. "And I washed him. It was a mutual thing. Look, before we go any further I just want to tell you that the guy really surprised me. I had no idea. I truly had no idea…"

Penny pretended to dab at her eyes with her napkin, "Awww, our little Sheldon, all grown up!"

Niki decided the time was right to change the subject, so she addressed Penny, "Okay, enough of that. I thought we were supposed to be helping you come up with a plan to lose weight."

"That was before I saw the hickey."

"Look, forget the hickey. Let's talk about you."

Penny playfully pleaded, "Do we have to? It's much more fun to talk about you right now."

"Penny Hofstadter, Do you want to lose the weight or not?"

Penny reluctantly surrendered, "Okay, you win. Let's talk. What do you have in mind?"

Niki folded her hands and placed them on the table of the booth. "Okay, I'm going to review this entire situation to bring Bernie up to date. Is that okay with you?"

Penny nodded, "Sure."

"Bernie, do you know about the audition?"

Bernie smiled at Niki, "Yeah, I know a little bit about it."

"The results?"

Bernie shook her head. "Not really, no."

"Well then, here goes. Penny auditioned at the Pasadena Playhouse and wowed them, like there was any doubt that would happen. Anyway, they have offered her a great part, but to get it, she has to lose ten pounds in three weeks."

Bernie immediately brightened and asked Penny, "What part did you get?"

"I got Amanda, the mother, from The Glass Menagerie."

"Wow, that's an acting stretch. How did you impress them being her?"

Penny sat up very straight and looked at her friends. "First of all, I'm a very good actress, and then, I just channeled my inner Beverly Hofstadter. Cold and unemotional on the outside, brimming with marital and life disappointments on the inside, you know, I became Beverly. Plus, this character is constantly trying to shape her children into what she wants them to be. It was a pretty short leap from Beverly to Amanda".

"I'd say if you used your monster-in-law as your muse, you must have nailed it." Bernie told her.

Penny nodded, "I did, nail it I mean."

Niki gave them both a look of curiosity and before they could start making jokes about 'nailing it' she asked, "I've never met Leonard's mother. What's she like?"

Bernie shivered, "If you touch her, your skin will stick."

"That cold?"

Penny responded to Niki's question with, "Yep. She's not a warm person, at least on the outside. She's a well-known psychiatrist. She over analyzes everyone and holds people to unheard of standards and then comments coldly on their failings".

Niki rolled her eyes and shook her head, "Does everyone dislike her? I would think that would be the case."

"Everyone but Sheldon."

 _"Sheldon_ likes her?" Niki asked in a shocked voice.

Penny took a sip of her tea and began to explain, "He loves her logical attitude, or at least he used to. I don't know that they have kept in touch much the last couple of years. After Amy passed she told him his grief was totally out of proportion to his loss. He kind of lost contact with her after that." Bernie nodded in agreement with this.

Niki thought for a minute, "Didn't she like Amy?"

"Oh no, she liked her a lot. She thought Amy was damn near perfect. That is why Sheldon was so upset with her." Penny explained in an matter of fact voice.

Niki stared at both of them. "Whoa. Now _that's_ cold."

Penny grinned like a conspirator planning a robbery. "See why I aced the audition?"

"Okay," Niki replied, "you've got the part nailed down, but we still need to get that weight off."

"I know," Bernie piped up, "why don't you try what I did after Kelly was born?"

As Bernie had lost her pregnancy weight at the speed of sound, Penny was intrigued and asked her, "What was that?"

"Go vegetarian. Believe me, the pounds just melt off. You won't even need to exercise much. But outside of fish, NO MEAT."

Niki cocked her head in an inquisitive way and asked Penny, "Do you think Leonard will go for that?"

Penny nodded, "He doesn't have a choice." She winked at the other two ladies as she lifted her tea cup to her lips, "At least if he wants a happy wife. Just kidding, guys. Leonard is a great guy and a better husband and I am going to personally see to it that he is handsomely compensated for his sacrifice. Actually, now that I think about it, that's a big win/win for both of us. "

Niki winked back at her, "Of the highest caliber."

Their server suddenly appeared and they broke off their conversation long enough to place their orders. When that was done, Bernie put down her tea cup and informed Penny, "Oh, I almost forgot. No foods with sugar or artificial sweeteners or preservatives in them, like cookies or candy, either. Just drink lots of water and eat lots of fruit and lots of veggies. That ought to do the trick. Oh, no drinking at all. Think you can do it?"

"Well, I've always believed that artists have to suffer for their craft, so I might as well start there. Are you sure this will take off ten pounds in three weeks?"

Bernie encouraged her, "Trust me, Penny; it will take them off in two."

"Okay, it's settled, I'm going to go vegetarian." Penny looked across the table at Niki and grinned like the cat that ate the canary, "Now, back to you and Sheldon…"

Back at the Los Robles apartment, Sheldon and Leonard were having their own conversation.

Leonard pointed at the hickey, "Okay, Sheldon, when did this thing happen?"

"Really Leonard, is it truly any of your business to ask me that?"

"Yeah, it kinda is. You and Niki are both good friends of mine. In fact, I'm closer to you than I am to my own brother. So, I repeat, when did this happen?"

Sheldon surrendered with a sigh, "Very well. This weekend. It suddenly dawned on me that Niki was an amazing lady and I was being a fool for denying it."

"Okay, I get that." Leonard nodded at his friend, "What changed how you saw her?"

Sheldon walked over to the hall closet and hung up his jacket and turned to address his roommate, "Remember how I used to say when I first met Amy that she was a girl who was my friend, but not my girlfriend?

"Yeah, of course I do."

"Well, I wasted a lot of good years I could have had with Amy by thinking that way. I didn't want to make that same mistake again. Leonard, life is short; I don't want to waste even one second of the time I could be with NIki. "

Leonard came over to Sheldon, patted him on the shoulder and smiled, "I understand, buddy. I really do."

Sheldon went into the kitchen and filled the kettle with water in preparation for making tea. "When I finally realized that was what I was doing, I thought I should do my best to rectify the situation as soon as possible."

Leonard followed him into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator, "Well, It looks like you did a pretty good job of that."

"Leonard, I never thought I could love another woman after Amy, but I was wrong."

Leonard's head shot up, "Wait, you're admitting you were wrong about something?"

"Don't get overly excited, it was just this once. I wouldn't get my hopes up for a repeat."

Leonard broke out into a large grin, "Sheldon, you both look happy, so I'm happy. Niki is one fantastic lady. Penny told me that Niki is one the nicest and funniest people she has ever met. She already loves her as much as she does Bernadette. You made the right decision here, you really did."

Sheldon nodded briefly, "Thank you, Leonard. Now, could we get the game board and food ready before Raj and Howard arrive?"

"Sure. But we may not have a lot of time for gaming before Penny and Niki come back. They may not be gone that long. You heard them."

"Ah, Leonard, the fateful day has come when I am about to teach you something about women. Sheldon turned to address his friend's open mouth, "Don't look so shocked, it was bound to happen sooner or later."

"Say what?"

"Leonard, the ladies have left us to go discuss Penny's weight and resurrected acting career and the fact that Niki and I have engaged in coitus. Trust me; it will not be an early evening for them."

Leonard surrendered the argument, "Well, when you put it that way…"

Sheldon took the kettle off the stove and returned to the living room. "Good. Now help me get this board set up. Koothrapalli and Wolowitz should be here any second."

"I can't wait for Howard to see your neck. His remarks are bound to be priceless…and tasteless, too."

"Well, I will do my best to consider the source. It's what we always do."

Leonard gave a chuckle, "Yep, it's what we always do." Somehow, the irony of that simple phrase was completely lost on Sheldon. Some things had not changed at all.

 **The next few chapters are dedicated to the reactions of everyone around them to their new relationship. Who is on their side? Who isn't? Hmmmm.**


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter18: Fo' Shizzle

 **Raj has big news and that means a party!**

It was a typical Saturday morning and Sheldon and Niki were lying in her bed, debating the merits of the San Diego Zoo versus those of the one in Los Angeles. Sheldon loved Saturday mornings at Niki's because he had discovered that he could watch Dr. Who on Saturday mornings on the large flat screen television in Niki's bedroom. To lie in bed and watch television was an indulgence Sheldon seldom allowed himself, but seeing as how Niki refused to rise early on the weekends, he felt he had no choice but to view his favorite weekend show from the comfort of her king sized bed.

Suddenly, the phone on her nightstand announced a caller. "Who the hell is calling at eight in the morning?" She demanded in an irritated voice.

Sheldon turned slowly and looked at her, "I don't know, but I strongly suggest you pick up the receiver and find out." Niki gave a protracted sigh and reluctantly answered the phone.

 _Hello? What? That's fantastic! When did he find out? Did you want_ _to talk to Sheldon?_ Niki eagerly passed the phone to her lover. "It's Leonard."

 _Hello, Leonard. Oh, that is good news. When? I can't say I didn't see this coming. Oh, of course, I'll give her back to you._

 _Hello again, Leonard. Oh, of course you can. Say, ten or so? Good. We'll see you all then._

Niki sat back in the bed, "Wow. That is such great news. Imagine that, Raj is finally going to get his US citizenship!"

Sheldon put his arm around her and smiled, happy for his longtime friend. "Oh, I can imagine it quite clearly. I can't say he doesn't deserve it. He has made so many positive contributions to science since he has been here. Plus, outside of the disaster that is his love life, he's just a good person. This country will be lucky to have him for a citizen."

Niki snuggled closer to Sheldon, "You've got that right. I'm so excited for him. He's been waiting for this day for years now!"

Sheldon moved slightly away from her and asked, "What was Leonard saying to you about ten o'clock?"

"Oh, he just asked if it was okay if everyone came over around that time."

"What on earth for?" Sheldon asked her, completely befuddled.

Niki shrugged her shoulders, "I guess to talk about Raj. That would be my guess."

"Well, at this point, anything is better than them discussing our love life."

"Yeah, that's getting kind of old." Niki placed her hand on Sheldon's arm. "Not our love life, their discussion of it."

He once again pulled her closer. "Speaking of our love life, we _do_ have some time to kill before they get here."

Niki pressed her body into his, "Hmmm…whatever could we do with all that time?"

Well…we could do some of this" Sheldon kissed her deeply, "and then some of this" he ran his hand over her breasts, "and of course we could also do this." His other hand reached down between her legs.

"Cooper?"

"Yes?"

"Keep going." she whispered in Sheldon's ear as she eagerly moved her body against his.

Later that morning, all the friends were gathered in Niki's living room, talking about Raj and his getting his citizenship.

Niki placed a cup of tea in front of everyone and asked them, "Okay, we all know that Raj is going to become a citizen, and I'm very happy for him. But why are you all here at my place? And at ten in the morning? I could still be sleeping, you know."

Bernadette took a sip of her tea and grinned at Niki as she spoke, "Uh uh, we know darn well you two would not be sleeping and the reason we are here is because Emily has decided to throw Raj a party tomorrow, a big barbecue in fact, to celebrate.

Niki sat down, looked at Bernadette and chose to ignore the veiled reference to her and Sheldon's personal life, "I don't mean to sound dense, but that still doesn't explain why all of you are here."

Howard was the first to speak," Niki, we've taken a vote and we're not going to his party."

Niki eyes flew open and she dropped her cup, "WHAT?"

"You heard me, we're not going. None of us are."

Niki began to mop up her spilled tea,"You lost me, Howard. Why wouldn't you go to Raj's party? You all have been good friends with him for years."

Penny put her own cup down and informed her, "Well, the truth is, Emily said you were not invited. So we all decided that if you aren't going, we aren't going."

Niki stood up and looked at her friends like they were crazy, "That's stupid you guys and you know it."

"Huh? Why is it stupid?" Leonard was not completely awake yet, having been dragged out of bed by Penny, so he was a bit bewildered by her comment.

Niki explained her reasoning, "This party is for Raj, not for me. I'm not the important person here, Raj is. You should all go there for his sake. Do you realize the uncomfortable position you will put him in with Emily if you don't go?"

Sheldon put his arm around her and pulled her close, "I'm sorry, Niki. But they're all correct. I'm not going without you. Emily is being both rude and unreasonable."

Niki narrowed her eyes and broke free from Sheldon's hug, "So you're all willing to ruin your good friend's big day by acting like children?"

"What do you mean, 'like children'?" Bernie asked her. "We're trying to stand up for you here."

"Look, I haven't known Raj anywhere near as long as you guys have. He's a great guy to work with and I like him a lot, but I'll live if I don't go to his party. And you will all survive if you do. Friends don't make their friend's lives more difficult, do they? Come on, I want all of you to put on a happy face and go to that party. I'll be fine right here, I really will."

Leonard pleaded with her in a whiny voice. "Please don't ask us to do that. It almost sounds like you're playing the martyr. Look, we decided not to go because it's wrong that you aren't invited, nothing more and nothing less. You're with Sheldon now and he is one of Raj's best friends."

Niki suddenly looked over at her friends, "Does Emily even know I'm with Sheldon? Has Raj seen fit to tell her that?"

Sheldon shook his head, "I would think not. From what he has told me she goes ballistic every time your name is mentioned. I doubt he went out of his way to bring your name into any of their conversations."

"Ummm, well then, maybe he _should_ tell her? Look, the lady is insecure where Raj is concerned and judging by some of his past actions in their relationship, she has every reason to be. We can't all have a Sheldon Cooper." Niki looked up at Sheldon and winked while everyone else tried their hardest not to gag.

Penny tried to reason with her, "Look, are you saying we should tell him to tell her about you and Sheldon? I don't know how that would work out. She's kind of crazy, you know?"

"That may be, I don't know. Look guys, it couldn't hurt. Maybe she thinks I'm single and looking."

Suddenly, Howard's cell phone gave a wolf whistle, signaling he had a text message. It was from Raj and it read: _I heard about what Emily did. Don't worry about it. Bring Niki. I'll handle Em._

"Well," Howard put his phone back in his pocket, smiling in relief, "Raj says to bring Niki. It looks like our little problem has been solved."

Bernadette squeaked, "And Raj's is just beginning."

Niki stood up and headed for the kitchen, "Guys, I don't have to go. Really. I don't want to cause Raj a problem."

Sheldon followed her, arguing his point, "No. The man said to bring you and that is what we are going to do, bring you. No arguments. It's his party and he wants you there"

Niki looked up at him, resigned to her fate. "Okay, I'll go. But I'm afraid we're all making a very big mistake.

"It's not negotiable. It's his party and we were asked to bring you. Social convention says you have to go."

Penny nudged Leonard, "Oh boy, this is going to be one interesting party."

He nodded, "You got that right."

The next afternoon, Niki stood on Raj's doorstep with Leonard, Penny, and Sheldon, trembling with nerves. She didn't like this entire situation, not one little bit, and here she was, being thrust straight into the middle of it. She could handle conflict when necessary, but she was not at all sure it was wise to go out of your way to cause it. She also wasn't fooling herself for an instant that there would not be any conflict. She didn't exactly blame Emily for her actions, either. Raj was a wonderful person, unless you happened to be dating him, and then he could be your worst nightmare. As a boyfriend, he was bad news. On the other hand, he was a loyal, compassionate, and valuable friend. If you needed anything at all, Raj was always there, all you had to do was call him. But Emily was his girlfriend, not his friend, and Raj had put her through hell sometimes. Niki was torn between the two viewpoints.

Leonard rang the doorbell and Raj answered it, a welcoming smile on his face. "Hey, guys, come on in. I'm so glad you came. Howard and Bernadette are already here. Everyone's in the backyard, so drop your things on the couch and let's head out back.

As they walked towards the back of the house, Sheldon grabbed her hand and squeezed it in a show of support. When he did things like that, Niki fell in love with him all over again. He wasn't exactly romantic with words, but as Penny had once described him to her, he was _"loyal as Hell"._

As soon as they were outside, Niki saw the Wolowitzes standing by the barbecue. Raj had a huge backyard, with a pool and Jacuzzi at one end and a patio holding a picnic table and a barbecue on the other. Sheldon and Leonard had gone off with Raj for a moment, so Niki had scanned the area, looking for a friendly face. When she had seen the Wolowitzes on the patio, she and Penny had made a beeline for Bernadette and greeted her with a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Bernie! I'm so glad to see you!"

"Yeah, I can understand that. Honey, don't look now, but your worst nightmare is headed this way. A fake smile plastered all over her evil face."

Niki chided her friend in soto voce as she turned to meet Emily, "Don't you think you're being a little harsh?"

Bernie whispered in her ear, "Ask me that question again in half an hour. I dare you."

Emily approached Niki with what was obviously a forced smile on her face. She put the plate of hamburgers she was carrying down on the picnic table and touched Niki's arm in greeting. "You must be Niki."

Inwardly, Niki's stomach was tied in knots, but she outwardly she gave Emily a friendly smile and greeted her nemesis with "Yes, hello. And you must be Emily. It's so very nice to meet you. Raj talks about you all the time."

Emily stared intensely at Niki, showing no emotion for a moment, then smiled again with a false sweetness. "You know, my dear, I'm a dermatologist, I could help you get rid of those unsightly freckles." Her finger traced a pattern across the bridge of Niki's nose.

Niki pulled her head away quickly and informed Emily, "But I like my freckles. I've had them since I was a child. I'm rather attached to them."

Emily replied loud enough for everyone there to hear, "But if you let me treat them for you, you might actually look attractive. Your gorgeous eyes would stand out more."

Off to the side, Penny had to work hard to restrain Sheldon. "Let her handle this, Sheldon;" she hissed, "she is more than capable of holding her own." Sheldon backed off, but his hands were still clenched into angry fists at his sides.

Niki straightened up to her full height and stared down at Emily, "Let me say this one more time, I like my freckles and I have no desire to get rid of them."

Emily gave an audible sigh and threw up her hands, as if dealing with a stubborn child, "Well, if you insist, alright." She thought for a moment and her eyes narrowed dangerously, "Say, I also have a friend who's a plastic surgeon. If you want, he could do some work for you; build up that chest of yours. You know, give you some feminine curves."

This time, it took both Penny and Leonard to restrain Sheldon.

"Look, Emily, I don't want my chest enlarged, thank you very much. I feel extremely feminine just the way I am."

Emily's eyes grew wide with pretended surprise, "You're kidding me, right?"

At that point it took Penny, Howard, and Leonard to hold Sheldon back. Leonard made a feeble attempt to calm his friend down, "Easy there, buddy. She's doing fine."

Niki smiled sweetly at Emily, her mind working furiously, "Absolutely not. And Emily?" She dropped her voice to a conspiratorial whisper, "This really has nothing to do with me, does it? Come with me for a minute." She took Emily by the hand and dragged her into the house. After depositing Raj's girlfriend on the couch, next to all the coats and jackets, Niki sat herself down on the loveseat across from Emily and continued, "Raj has made you distrust and dislike every woman on the planet under the age of 60, and I don't blame you. This is not between you and me at all is it? This is between you and him. I will say this once and once only. I have no desire for Raj, none at all. He has been a wonderful friend to me, but I also know that he has been a horrible boyfriend to you. Look, I don't want him, period. I'm madly, passionately, in love with that guy over there," She pointed through the sliding glass door at Sheldon.

Emily turned at looked at Sheldon standing in the yard talking to Leonard, "Okay, you could have at least made it believable. Look, you're not the most gorgeous female that ever walked the planet, but Sheldon Cooper? That Freak? Even you could do better than that.

Niki counted to ten and replied, "I do love Sheldon. And he loves me. We treat each other with love and respect. He would never cheat on me, or put me to down to his friends."

Emily threw back her head and howled, "Puhleeze! That geek wouldn't know anything about love. He probably needs GPS to find his junk. Look, the truth is, I was hoping none of you would show up, that's why I did not invite you. I knew your friends wouldn't come if you couldn't. Can you imagine how Raj would have felt if none of his friends had shown up?"

Niki was seething at the insult to Sheldon, but she managed to keep her cool and answer Emily's question. "He would have been devastated. That was a mean thing to do, Emily."

"Well, it would have worked if Raj hadn't spoiled my little plan. Do you know why he texted Howard to bring you?"

"Let me take a wild guess, to hurt you?"

Emily grinned in a mean girl way. "Exactly. Raj couldn't have cared less whether you came or not, but he _did_ want to make the day uncomfortable for me. You see, my dear, you are just a pawn in both of our little games."

Niki stood up and gave the death stare to Emily. _How I wish I was proficient at Kolinahr like Sheldon, it would sure come in handy right about now._ Niki then flashed back to her days in rehab, "Emily, now it's my turn to offer you someone's services. I have a friend who helped me once. She is a pretty decent therapist." Niki found her purse on the couch and after a dedicated search retrieved a small white business card from its depths and handed it to Emily. "Call her. You and Raj could both use her services."

Emily rose and stared at Niki as she threw the card on the ground, "Save the therapy for yourself. Any woman who would do it with Sheldon Cooper needs more help than I do."

Everyone at the party heard the slap and the "You bitch!" that came from the house.

Howard turned towards Sheldon and announced, "I couldn't have said it better, myself."

Sheldon kept his eyes on the back door and responded, "To use a phrase Niki has recently taught me, fo' shizzle."

Niki came charging across the yard and grabbed Sheldon and began kissing him passionately, only breaking to come up for air.

Howard looked over at Leonard and suggested, "Maybe we should send Bernie and Penny in there."

Leonard nodded,"Fo' shizzle."

 **What's next for our lovable nerds? Maybe family gets to weigh in on their pairing.**


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19: The Eyes of Texas are Upon You

 **In this chapter, Niki meets Mary Cooper. Hang on to your hats!**

It was late on a Friday afternoon and Sheldon and Niki were packing up and getting ready to leave the office. Suddenly, Niki heard Sheldon exclaim as he checked his phone, "Oh Dear Lord"!

She turned to him, concerned, and asked, "What's the matter?"

Sheldon looked over at her, put his satchel down and informed her, "It's my mother."

Niki was worried now. She went to him and peered over his shoulder trying to get a better look at his phone. "What? Did something bad happen to her?"

Sheldon quickly put his phone away and explained, "No, she's fine. But she's coming here for a visit."

Niki backed off, curious as to why he hadn't let her see his phone. "That's wonderful, Sheldon! But you don't sound very excited to see her. You do love your mother, don't you?"

Sheldon looked at her and cocked an eyebrow. "Of course, she's my mother, but we are very different and I always feel on edge with her."

Niki conjured up visions of Beverly Hofstadter, "Why? Is she controlling, or overly critical? Why does she make you feel uncomfortable?"

Sheldon sat down and took Niki's hands in his own. "Not at all. She's not a bad person. It's just that we're polar opposites. I'm logical, she's religious. I believe you control your own destiny, she believes in God's Will. I read scientific journals and comic books; she reads People magazine and the Bible. Do you see where I'm going with this?"

Niki shook her head, "No, not entirely. My mother is a devout Christian but I'm more spiritual than religious. I somewhat believe in a higher power but I'm scientifically logical as well. My mother accepts that. We never try to change each other, we know we can't. She still loves me and cares for me. Isn't your mother like that?"

"I wish I could say that she is. Yes, she loves me, but she'll quote Jesus to me until the day she dies. Or I do, whichever comes first. I do know that she cares for me a great deal, though."

Niki took back her hands and attempted to reason with him. "Some of the things Christians believe are pretty basic. Love your neighbor. Don't lie. Don't judge people. Don't mess with someone else's significant other. Don't be a hater; there is a lot of common sense in religion."

Sheldon nodded slowly, "I have never thought of it that way. Perhaps I should be more tolerant of her beliefs."

"It wouldn't hurt. You only have one mother. Anyway, what day is she coming here?"

Sheldon gave her his sweetest smile, which immediately put Niki on full alert. "Today, a few hours from now. Niki, is there any chance you could pick her up at the airport?

She proceeded very cautiously with her answer as she headed for the door. "No problem. When do we have to be there to meet her flight?"

Sheldon evaded her gaze as he answered her question, "Well, I was wondering if you could go by yourself. I have something extremely important I have to do."

This was the first time Niki had heard of any important plans, so she attempted to pin him down, "And what would that be? We're almost done for the day here."

"Umm, well, there's something I have to do with Leonard."

Niki stopped and walked back across the room until she was standing right in front of him. "Uh huh. Come clean, Cooper, what is it?"

"Well," he finally admitted to her, "the new Star Wars movie opens tonight and Leonard and I have tickets."

"And you were thinking that you'd just get me to go get your mother. Is that it?"

Sheldon beamed at her, "Oh thank you, Niki, I knew you'd understand."

"Not so fast, Sheldon. This is your mother we're talking about."

He decided to plead with her, using the little boy voice he knew she found hard to resist. "But Leonard and I have had these tickets for months. Am I supposed to just throw mine out?"

"But this is your mother." She calmly repeated.

"I know that, I'm not stupid."

"Neither am I, Sheldon."

He had a confused look on his face and told her, "I don't understand what the problem is."

She gave up, but with a purpose. "Look, I'll do it, but you are really going to owe me this time."

"Maybe you owe me, Miss Smarty Pants. You did slap my friend's girlfriend in the face."

"For which said friend has apologized to me for said girlfriend's actions many times and has stated repeatedly that she had it coming."

His Let's Make a Deal look came over his face and he bobbed his head. "All right. Name your price."

Niki crossed her arms and gave him a look that told him there would be no negotiation allowed from his side, "Here are my terms: A romantic dinner by the beach and then spending the night at a nice hotel there."

"You drive a hard bargain, lady."

"Do you want your mother picked up or not?" This time it was Niki who raised an eyebrow.

He surrendered the battle, "Okay, deal."

"Good. Now, how are we going to recognize each other?"

Sheldon reached into a bag behind his desk, "No worries, I told her you would be wearing these." He pulled out her Mickey Mouse ears from Disneyland. "She won't be able to miss you in these."

Niki shook her head vehemently, "No, Sheldon. I'm not wearing those ears in public."

Sheldon looked at her with puppy dog eyes, "But I already told her you would be wearing these. I sent her a picture of you wearing them so she'll know you at the airport."

"Well, send her another one of me without the ears on. I'm not wearing them."

His smile was pure Machiavellian, "Too late. Her plane is in the air."

Niki hissed at him through her teeth, "I' . . !"

"Niki, you have to. We have a deal. I'll tell you what; I'll throw in a dinner for you, Penny, and Bernadette at your favorite restaurant."

She thought about it for a long moment, "I don't know…"

"Well, you're making me take you to dinner at the beach."

Niki snatched the offending ears from Sheldon, raised them over her head, and headed for the door. "But I'm not going to make you wear these friggin' things!"

Niki met Leonard in the hall on her way out. "Hey Niki, how's it goin'?"

Niki told him exactly how it was going with the universal middle finger. "And the horse you rode in on, Leonard! Enjoy the damn movie!"

Thirty minutes later found Niki snaking her way slowly through the downtown L.A. traffic. Usually at this time of day the traffic going west was fairly light, but on Friday afternoons traffic was heavy everywhere. And nowhere was traffic slower than by the airport. _Okay, Sheldon. This has been ramped up to a lobster dinner with sea bass on the side. It's at least another thirty minutes to the damn airport and my patience and the gas in my car are both running a little low._

When she finally got close to the airport she found that traffic was being detoured off of Century Boulevard because of road work. This would add another twenty minutes to her drive. _Okay, Sheldon, now it's not just a hotel, we'll be staying at, it's going to be the damn Radisson! How did I let him talk me into this? I must be insane!_

The parking lot for Southwest Airlines was full, so Niki was redirected to another parking structure a further block away. _That dinner for me and the girls has now been upgraded to Spago, Cooper!_ She finally got the car parked and headed off for the terminal. She knew she would have to wait for Mary Cooper by the baggage claim, and that place was usually a zoo. Well, there was nothing to do but make her way over there and hope she was on time.

Once inside the terminal she looked up at the arrival/departure board. It looked like she had gotten there in time and that Sheldon's mother would arrive shortly, so she picked a chair and sat down. The woman next to her spied the Mickey Mouse ears in Niki's hand and asked, "Are you meeting a child?"

"No," she answered. "I'm meeting my boyfriend's mother."

"Oh, is she Special?

Niki sighed and shook her head, "No, _he_ is."

The woman quickly looked away and pretended to be interested in the tattooed couple on the other side of her.

Soon, Flight 1954 from Houston to Los Angeles began to unload its passengers. Niki stood up and prepared herself to meet Mary Cooper. Suddenly, she looked down at her hands and remembered the Mickey Mouse ears. Looking around quickly to make sure no one saw her, she put them on. _This is now an entire summer's wardrobe from Macy's, Cooper…maybe a winter's one as well._ Suddenly, everyone in the building started looking at her strangely, except a small, brown haired woman who began to laugh hysterically. "Oh, dear Jesus! You must be Dr. Horner." She extended her hand in a friendly manner, "I'm Mary Cooper. Take those silly things off! I can't believe my son asked you to wear those. And I also can't believe you did!"

Niki quickly removed the ears and told Mrs. Cooper, "Well, me and your son had a deal going, so I had to wear them. You know how he is."

Mary smiled compassionately, "Do I ever! Come on, honey, let's get my bags and get us out of here".

"Sounds good to me. I hate this place."

"I don't know anyone who loves the airport, including my son. That's why he sent you, I guess."

Niki didn't want to tell Sheldon's mom she was running a poor second to a movie, so she agreed. "Yeah, he wanted no part of it."

Once they had collected all of Mary's baggage and made their way to Niki's car, Mary asked her, "Say, is there anywhere around here we could get a meal and talk? I'm starved. I refused to eat that slop they call airline food. And it'll be a might nicer drive to Shelly's place after the traffic has cleared some."

"I'm sure we could find a coffee shop somewhere around here. You're right about the traffic and airline food, both are horrible!"

They finally found a little hole-in-the-wall place a few miles from the airport and decided to eat there. Once they were seated and had ordered, Mary looked at Niki intently, "I need to ask you something. Just what is it that you two do when you two work together? Shelly told me you're his partner and he never explains what he does so that I can understand it. Could you help me?"

Niki smiled, "Sure, I'll do my best. What do you want to know exactly?"

"What are you guys studying? I know Shelly told me something about holes".

"Oh, he must have meant black holes. Yes, those are the major part of our research."

Mary gave a quizzical tilt to her head and asked Niki, "What's a black hole, honey? It ain't nothin' pornographic or anything?"

Niki had to chuckle, "No Mrs. Cooper. Black holes are quite respectable."

"Call me Mary, please. Now, what exactly are they?"

"Okay, if you call me Niki. Well, you know what a star is, right?"

"Of course. Shelly's always been interested in them. I used to tell him that with them being up there twinkling like they do, they were the candles on Jesus' birthday cake."

Niki suppressed a laugh and thought hard for a moment and then gave Mary an answer, "Well, we study what happens after Jesus blows them out."

"Oh, I get it. I think."

Niki took a sip of her coffee and formulated an answer she thought Mary might understand. "We are trying to find out what the…uh, air and the cake are like when the star is blown out. We study it in two parts. We know that when stars die out, they leave what you would call a hole in space. We know something about how things act when they go into that hole. Your son is trying to find out if everything goes into the hole at the same veloc…speed, and why and how things go in the hole like they do, beyond what we know now, like if we can change the speed to make them go in the hole faster. My part of the study is coming up with a theory, or idea, of how things act when they leave the hole and come back out, or if they even can."

Their food finally came and Mary gave her a worried look as she took a bite of her sandwich, "And how would the world use this stuff, if you find out how all that works?"

"Well, do you believe in Heaven, Mary?"

Now Mary Cooper smiled, she understood that question. "Of course. That's where I intend to go to be with Jesus when I die."

Niki nodded, "Well, some physicists have a theory that if you go into a black hole you end up in another dimension or time." She had to put this so Mary could grasp on to some form of understanding of a complex matter that that had stymied physicists for many years. Suddenly an idea came to her, "Maybe that's where Heaven is, or more exactly, where God comes from."

"So, you're trying to find a way to go to Heaven without dying. Is that right?"

"Well, nobody's saying it's Heaven. What we're trying to do is find out what's on the other side and if we can travel back and forth through the black hole. Kind of like time travel. But if it's Heaven on the other side, well, I don't think we'll have much luck with the coming back part." Niki's voice now took on a very excited tone, "But Mary, if it's another universe like this one, just think of what we could do with that discovery!"

"Oh honey, you lost me. That's just too scary to think about."

 _And yet that is what your son thinks about a majority of the time. Yes, he was right; they were totally opposite from each other_.

Niki looked up and saw their waitress approaching, "Well, here comes our bill. Let's pay it and get going home." When they were in the car and headed back to Pasadena Niki looked over at Mary and smiled warmly, "I'm sure you can't wait to see Sheldon."

"Well, of course I want to see Shelly, but I'm also meeting my husband here. We're kind of taking a second honeymoon and our cruise ship leaves from Long Beach in a couple of days. "

Niki's mouth dropped wide open and she almost lost control of the car. "Husband? What husband?"

Mary looked over at Niki, a confused and hurt look on her face, "Sheldon didn't tell you? Oh honey, let's just put this car back in its proper lane before you answer that."

Niki straightened the car out, and then addressed Mary's question, "No, he never breathed a word to me that you were married."

Mary shook her head sadly, "I'm beginning to think there are lots of things he didn't tell either of us."

"Such as?"

"Why is my son's cereal bowl on the back seat of your car? I wasn't snoopin', I saw it when I was putting my bags back there. I'd know that bowl anywhere."

Niki's mind went into warp speed, "Oh, I gave Sheldon a ride to work this morning and he was running late. So, he finished his breakfast in the car." _Okay, not the entire truth, but it's not a lie. We were running late, but for reasons I'd rather not discuss with his mother._

"Okay, but doesn't he usually ride in with Leonard? He does live with the man."

Uh…" Niki frantically searched for an answer to that one. "Well, Leonard was busy this morning."

"Niki, don't be pullin' that one on me, I wasn't born yesterday. I called Leonard this morning and he was in his car on his way to work."

Niki was more curious than annoyed and she asked Mary, "Why were you calling Leonard?"

"Honey, why wouldn't I call him? I'm married to his father. I guess that makes him my stepson or something like that. Come to think of it, I guess that makes Shelly and Lenny some kinda brothers. Honey, let's get this car straight again. I ain't ready to meet the Lord just yet."

Niki voice raised about two octaves, "You're married to Leonard's father? Why wouldn't Sheldon have told me that?"

Mary looked out the window, pretending to be studying the traffic, "For the same reason he didn't tell me he was spendin' the night at your place." She turned back to Niki and asked her, "Look, let's be honest with each other, are you and my son having carnal relations?"

 _. .Cooper. Thanks a hell of a lot. Now I get to be the one to tell your mother about our sex life._ Niki picked her words carefully and answered Mary's inquiry, "Well, we are in an adult relationship, so yes, we know each other in the biblical way."

Mary nodded slowly, "Do you two love each other?"

"Mary, you know your son pretty well, do you think he sleeps with anyone he doesn't love, and don't you think he makes darn sure they love him back before he does? Besides, I wore those." She said, pointing to the Mouse ears on the console between them. "If that's not love, I don't know what is."

"Well, Hallelujah and Praise the Lord! That's wonderful news!"

"Huh?" Niki was now completely confused.

"Time to get put this car straight again, honey. Let me explain. My Shelly hasn't been right since Amy died. You do know about Amy, right?" Niki nodded and Mary continued, "He just shut everyone out and it almost seemed like his soul was shrinking away, right in front of us. The last few months, when I've called him, I've heard my Shellybean again. Oh, annoying to be sure, but alive and sarcastic and stubborn, and well, just bein' himself. Thank you, my dear. I think the Lord sent my son an angel to help him, even if he does fornicate with her."

"Uh, thanks? Hey, we're home. How about that? Do you want me to help you with your bags?"

"Honey, Lenny's apartment is dark and that must mean the boys are out somewhere and Penny is at the theater rehearsing for that play she's in. I know my son and Lenny and I'll bet they're at some movie or comic book store. Am I right?"

Niki merely nodded.

"Well, let's go up to your place for awhile and wait for Shelly to come home. He told me you live next door. I think we both have a few things we'd like to ask him."

They went up to Niki's apartment; "Thank the Good Lord for a workin' elevator!" was Mary's only comment on their way up. When they got to the apartment and settled themselves on the couch, Mary looked around and said, "This place is real nice. I'm wonderin' just what you're going to say to Shelly when he gets home."

"I really haven't a clue, but believe me, we should both say something. He owes me far more than we agreed to, let me tell you."

Mary grinned at Niki, "Honey, how deep does your 'get even with him' go?

Niki grinned back, "Pretty deep, why?"

"Because I've just thought of a great way for us to get our revenge."

"Revenge?" Niki teased her, "Are you sure that is a Christian thing to do?"

"You bet. The Bible says, and I quote, 'Vengence is mine, sayeth the Lord'. Now neither of us is the Lord, but I think He'd be on our side and He'd understand this one. Now, here's a plan I came up with…" Mary leaned in towards Niki and began unveiling her plan. A slow grin appeared on Niki's face which quickly spread into a wide, wonderful, wicked, smile.

"Oh, that's perfect! Mary, you're a woman after my own heart. Let's do it!"

 **What is Mary's plan for revenge? And why is Niki so tickled with it? I guess you'll just have to read the next chapter. ;-)**

 **This was my favorite chapter of all to write. I love Mary's interactions with everyone that are coming up in the next few chapters. She's going to be around for awhile.**


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20: Payback

 **More Mary, more Niki, more Shedon, more FUN!**

Niki was amazed at how quickly Mary Cooper had come up with a plan that even she had to admit, had a touch of genius to it. "Mary, it's perfect! Your plan has everything in it that Sheldon despises; germs, dirt, religion, and limited internet access. It's perfect!"

"Well, I raised the boy; I guess I should know him by now. But I need you to help us come up with a plan to carry it out."

Niki began to write a list, "First, we need to get everyone involved on board. You text Alfred and I'll text Leonard and Penny. We're going to need their cooperation if we're going to pull this off successfully.'

Mary pulled out her phone and began to type, "I'm on it. I can't wait to see the look on Shelly's face!"

Niki looked over at her co-conspirator and grinned wickedly, 'Neither can I. This is going to be good."

Sometime later, Sheldon walked through Niki's front door, greeting both women with a smile. "Hello ladies. Niki, I hope you had no difficulties meeting my mother's flight. Mother, I'm sorry I wasn't home when you got here; I was out doing research with Leonard. I do hope you had a good flight."

Mary rose and greeted her son, hugging him warmly, "Hello, Shelly. Yes, your partner here was on time and has been a great help to me, you know, getting my luggage and me from the airport to here. What were you and Lenny researching?"

An uncomfortable look crossed Sheldon's face as he answered his mother, "Uh, intergalactic space travel and colonization. We in science must keep looking to the future."

His mother looked straight into his eyes and nodded, "Uh huh, and at what theater near you did you do your research, son?"

Sheldon face turned red and he angrily confronted his girlfriend, "Niki, did you tell my mother where I was? I was confident you could keep that a secret."

Mary waved him off with her hand, "Oh leave her alone, Sheldon. She told me nothing of the sort. I know you and I also know that new Star Whatever movie opened today. I have never known you to miss an opening of one of those except once, and you had good reason for that one."

Niki grinned at him, "Busted! Your mother is an intelligent woman, Sheldon. She's got you figured out better than anyone I've met so far."

Sheldon crossed his arms and arched an eyebrow, "You think my mother is intelligent? Well, if she's so smart, let's have her explain to us what we are researching. What do you say about that?"

Niki shrugged in a nonchalant manner, "I say fine. Mary, what is the subject Sheldon and I are researching?"

Mary returned to the couch and thought for a moment with her eyes closed. When she opened them, she began her reply, "Well, as near as I can figure, you two are studying how things move in and out of those black hole things and how if you guys can figure out how to make things go in and out of those holes at a decent speed without getting squashed, it could help with some sort of future space and time travel. I think that's about it. Am I right?"

Sheldon stood dumbfounded and said in a very small voice, "Yes, I suppose that is it, simplified to a great extreme, but correct." His curiosity got the better of him and he sat down next to his mother and asked her, "When did you learn all of that? I've never been able to get you to understand it."

She pointed at Niki, "Oh, your smart little partner explained it all to me over dinner. It's not as hard to understand as you've always made it out to be."

Niki beamed. She loved explaining physics to non scientists. That, more than research, was her passion.

Sheldon nodded curtly, not wishing to prolong a conversation that he was not winning, "Very well, are you ready to go to Leonard's, Mother?"

She shook her head in refusal, "Oh, Lenny texted me a bit ago and said he and Penny were going to come over here to visit with Niki for a spell before we all headed over to your place."

Sheldon was totally confused now. "Why are they coming over here? Couldn't Niki just go over there?"

Mary took a sip of the drink in front of her to prevent him seeing her glee, then answered him, "Sure, I suppose so son, but they wanted to come over here and discuss our trip."

"What trip? Do you mean your cruise with Alfred? Why would they need to discuss that?

Mary's hand flew to her mouth, "Oh dear, you weren't here and didn't know. I'm sorry. There's been a little change of plans."

"Mother, don't tell me we are all going on that cruise with you.' He then reminded her, "You know I get seasick."

His mother shook her head once again, "No, Alfred and I cancelled the cruise. We came up with something much better. It was Al's idea."

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

Niki yelled, "Come in!"

Leonard entered the room grinning from ear to ear, and gave a nod of his head to each in recognition, "Hey, Niki, Sheldon,Mary. Are you excited about the trip?"

Niki stood up to greet him, "I'm getting there. I've always wanted to see that part of the world, and now I'm getting to go there and see it in a very unique way. "

"Go where?" Sheldon impatiently demanded.

Leonard replied excitedly, "We're going to Brazil and see where Alfred has been working the last couple of months."

Sheldon's mouth flew wide open in indignation, "What! Why was I not consulted about this?"

Niki s crossed the room calmly and went to greet Penny, "You weren't here. You were at the movies. Hey, girlfriend."

Penny smiled at her friend, "Hey, Nik. I see you've met Mary."

Sheldon interrupted the ladies, "Leonard, did you know anything about this?"

He nodded briefly as if it were no big deal, "Yeah, I've known for a few days now."

"And why is it that no one has told me about this?"

Mary put her finger to her lips, "Shhhh! Lenny, your father's Skyping me. Want to say 'howdy'?'

Leonard greeted his father with a cheerful, "Hey, Dad. How's it going?"

Alfred's friendly face appeared on the computer screen, "Fine. I can't wait for you all to get here. Leonard, it's too bad Penny can't come."

Penny waved at the computer screen, "Hi, Alfred! Well, I have rehearsals every night now. We open in two weeks. You guys will all be back by then, so you won't miss opening night."

"Stop this insanity immediately! What are you all talking about?" Sheldon demanded. His anger and frustration were now easily apparent, much to the delight of everyone else.

His mother started to explain, "Shelly, you know Alfred's been down in Brazil leading a team that's studying those…"

Her husband continued, "The Kayapo tribe. They live near the Amazon and have been around since ancient times. I've been studying how encroaching civilization has been affecting their tribal customs and way of life. It's been quite fascinating."

Sheldon was starting to become increasingly annoyed and that showed when he asked his mother, "That's all very interesting, but what does that have to do with the rest of us?"

Mary grinned like she was giving him a Christmas present, "Well, it ain't everbody that gets to visit these people. They none too friendly to strangers, but Alfred has cleared the way for us to join him there. Imagine, all of us living in native huts, gettin' to eat their food with them, and best of all, I'm going to be bringing some Bibles to share with them. Nothing's as good as sharing the Word of God with the heathen!"

Sheldon wheeled around and stared at Niki accusingly, "You said I would go with you to this place?"

She nodded and headed for the kitchen to get some drinks for everyone, "Yes. I would have asked you, but you weren't here."

He stopped her in her tracks, "You believed it was fine to promise someone I would go somewhere without asking me?"

"Sure."

He shook his head as if trying to clear it of cobwebs. He could not understand why everyone was on board with this ridiculous idea. "Why on earth did you think that? Have you lost your mind?"

She looked at him strangely, as if his angst was completely lost on her and pushed past him to reach the kitchen. "What do you mean? You did that today with me, on a smaller scale, perhaps, but still…."

He followed her into the kitchen, fists clenched in exasperation, "I did nothing of the kind! I had you pick my mother up from the airport, not go into an uncivilized area!"

Niki wheeled and stared at him, her eyes fiery pinpoints of grey, "You haven't been to the airport on a Friday night lately, have you? And at least I was told who your mother was. Your poor mom had no idea that you and I were in a relationship. Now _that_ little tidbit was a bit unsettling to discuss with her."

"You told her about us?"

Niki shook her head as she walked by him carrying the drinks, "No, she figured it out on her own. As I told you earlier tonight, she's pretty smart."

Sheldon went back into the living room and stood in front of Mary, "Mother, may I ask how you managed to discern the nature of our relationship?"

Mary looked up at him with a knowing smile, "Well, when I saw your cereal bowl in her car, it wasn't a stretch to put two and two together and come up with four. I asked this young lady for the truth and she gave it to me."

Niki came up behind Sheldon and tapped him on the shoulder, "By the way, Sheldon, why didn't you tell me your mother was married? And to Leonard's father?"

Now it was Leonard's turn to look shocked. "He hasn't told you that? What's that all about? Are we going to have to start playing 20 Questions with everyone's life now? Is that what you want?"

Sheldon had the distinct feeling they were all ganging up on him. He decided that an apology and a semi-retreat were in order. "All of that I apologize for, but I'm still not going to Brazil."

Mary stood up and walked over to her son and began to poke him in his chest with her forefinger, "Sheldon Lee Cooper, you are going to Brazil and that is that. Do you understand?"

He now realized that he had lost both the battle and the war, so he reluctantly muttered, "Yes, Mother."

Now Mary's face broke into a wide grin and she put her arms around her erring son and hugged him tightly, "And do you further understand that all of us have been pulling your leg?"

"What?" Sheldon blurted, the reality of the situation slowly seeping into his brain.

Niki scolded him harshly, "Sheldon, what you did today was selfish and gave no thought whatsoever to the feelings of others. It didn't feel very good when it was done to you, now did it?"

"No. I suppose I could have handled things differently. I am truly sorry, I meant no offense. I just wanted to see the movie with Leonard. I suppose I did not give enough thought to the ramifications others would have to deal with."

Niki nodded and spoke in a serious tone, "Sheldon, if a situation like this ever comes up again, let me know in advance. I care for you and will more than likely help you out. BUT, you have to discuss it with me first. I felt like your slave, not your girlfriend or partner."

Sheldon took a seat on the couch and put an arm around Mary, "Agreed. I now see that it was extremely selfish of me to do that. Now, Mother, are you ready to come home with me?

"Shelly, I'll be goin' with Leonard and Penny, but I think it's best you stay here with your lady. I think you got a heap of makin' up to do and that's best done in private. Niki, it was wonderful meeting you darlin'. Sheldon, we'll talk more tomorrow, okay?"

"Fine. Good night mother."

Leonard picked up Mary's luggage and waved at the computer screen, "Goodbye, Dad. Come on, Mary, turn off Alfred and let's get you settled."

As they were leaving, Penny turned and called to Niki, "I'll call you tomorrow." Then the door closed and Sheldon and Niki found themselves alone in the living room.

Sheldon walked over to Niki and took her hands in his own, "I truly am sorry for my actions today. Thank you for your forgiveness."

Niki pulled her hands from his and began collecting the drink glasses from the coffee table. She looked up at Sheldon, "Who said I forgave you? We settled on a future course of action, but I never said I forgave you. You put me in a very uncomfortable situation today, so forgiveness isn't going to come so easily this time."

He followed her into the kitchen and began helping load the dishwasher, "Well, I can't undo what has already been done, so how can I fix this?"

"I do believe we agreed on dinner by the beach. Am I correct in that assumption?"

Sheldon nodded, "You are correct."

Niki turned and gave his bottom a playful spank, "And spending the night at the Radisson in Newport?"

"The Radisson? Woman, are you insane?"

Niki face became quite serious, "Not at all. I am quite mentally sound."

Sheldon brought his face close to hers, "I do not believe this situation calls for the expense of the Radisson."

Niki chuckled softly, "Would you rather be handing out Bibles in the Amazon Basin?"

Sheldon threw his hands up in defeat, "Okay, the Radisson it is."

"And don't forget, there is a small matter of dinner for me and the girls at Spago."

Sheldon exploded, "SPAGO? That's just plain old extortion! "

Niki knew she had this one won, "Do you want me to inform your mother that you are now more than willing to give her all the details about our love life? I have her on speed dial."

Sheldon suddenly smiled and wrapped her in a hug, "You are indeed, devious. All right, Spago. But do I get anything from this besides forgiveness?"

Niki traced her index finger along his jaw line, "You get me. How about that?"

"I'll take it. I know a good bargain when I see one."

Niki left the kitchen and headed for the bedroom, "Then we're good."

"Niki?"

She looked back over her shoulder, "What, my dear?"

"How did you manage to get my mother to understand anything about our research?"

"You say you have an eidetic memory, right?"

"Of course." He boasted proudly.

Niki took her finger and tapped it on his forehead, "Then think back to that day when I told you about my past, come on now, think about it."

Sheldon closed his eyes in concentration, "You were working up at Mt. Wilson but before that you taught at…oh." His eyes flew open and he gave her a sheepish grin.

"Yes, I had taught physics on many levels for several years before I got into research. You are the preeminent physicist at Cal Tech, am I right?" She asked, knowing this was one he would love to answer.

A smug look came over his face as he nodded, "You are correct. "

Niki explained to him, "I held the same position at Keck, only it was in teaching, not research."

Sheldon gave her a loving look, "That explains a lot."

"Like what?"

"How you are such a brilliant physicist and yet so capable of explaining physics concepts to others who are not as gifted as us in intelligence."

Niki put an arm around her lover as they walked down the hall, "Sheldon, your mother is of high intelligence, but it is of a different variety than ours. She is fully capable of understanding complex ideas if they are put to her in words she understands."

Sheldon took a step back in horror, "You used Jesus to explain black holes?"

Niki answered him before heading into the bathroom, "Something like that."

Sheldon sighed and reluctantly admitted, "Woman, I have come to the realization that I am not the only genius in this room."

Niki threw him a look over her shoulder, "And don't you forget it."

Later that night, they both lay in bed, drowsy from the long day they had experienced.

Sheldon stared up at the ceiling, lost in thought, "It's nice here with you."

"Yep. I like our bedtime chats." Niki rolled over and turned off the lamp on the nightstand.

"I could get used to this. Sometimes laying here with you and talking is more intimate than having coitus."

Niki kissed him on the cheek, "Well, thank you, Cooper. I do have to agree with you. I do believe that is why making love and conversation are both called intercourse. They bring people closer together."

Sheldon crossed his arms behind his head and resumed staring overhead. "I've been giving it some thought and I was wondering if we would succeed in cohabitation."

Niki nodded into the darkness, "I've been giving it some thought, also. But I need a favor from you, my love."

Sheldon rolled over onto his side to face her, "What would that be?"

"Patience. I don't want to live with you here. It's too close to Leonard and Penny's place. I want us to have enough privacy to have some personal space between ourselves and our friends. A place that's just ours, with no friends able to drop in unannounced. I love them all, but…you know.

"Yes, I see your point. How do you think we can accomplish that?" he asked her.

"I have an idea forming in this genius noggin of mine. I'll tell you more tomorrow."

"Why tomorrow?"

Niki yawned and fluffed her pillow, "Sheldon, I had a very long day today. Unlike you, I didn't go to the movies after work. I drove for over an hour through rush hour traffic to pick your mother up from the airport. And then we had our little trip scenario to arrange and get through."

"I see your point. We will talk more about this tomorrow."

Niki smiled to herself, "After Dr. Who, of course. You always watch that on Saturday Mornings. For now, spend the night whenever you wish. You are always more than welcome. I'll even give you a key in the morning. Tomorrow, I promise you, we will discuss a more permanent arrangement. Good night, Dr. Cooper."

Sheldon kissed her and wrapped her in his arms snugly, "Good night, Dr. Horner. Sleep tight."

 **What could Niki's plan be and how will it unfold? Will our lovers take their relationship to the next level? Stay tuned and find out.**


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21: The Morning After

 **The smoke has cleared from the night before. What's next for our intrepid couple? Hint: Mary Cooper weighs in.**

The next morning, Niki awoke to the sound of Sheldon shuffling around in the kitchen. She looked over at the clock on the wall. Ten o'clock! She had managed to sleep through Sheldon's morning shower, Dr. Who, and the making and eating of Sheldon's breakfast. She knew she had been tired the night before, but never had she slept in this late. Sheldon suddenly appeared in the doorway carrying a full breakfast tray. He greeted her with a grin and a cheery, "Good morning, sleepyhead."

Niki sat up and rubbed her eyes, "'Morning. What's that you're holding?"

Sheldon's blue eyes sparkled, "Your breakfast. Scrambled eggs, wheat toast, sausages, and black coffee. I do believe that is your usual, am I right?"

Niki took a sip of her coffee and smiled back at him, "Have I told you lately how amazing you are?"

"No, but I won't stop you from doing so. Anyway, I'm meeting my mother in a bit to go to brunch. Alfred has arranged for an Uber car to take us to the Farmer's Market on Wilshire and then return us back home. The least I could do was make you something to eat before I left. Here," he set the tray on her lap, "bon appétit!"

Niki took a bite of her eggs and asked him, "How long will you be gone?"

His grin widened, "Just long enough for me to have a nice visit with my mother and then get back in time to take you to that dinner at the beach. A deal is a deal."

Niki cocked her head and looked up at him suspiciously, "Where is Sheldon Cooper and what have you done with him?"

He planted a kiss on the top of her head. "Having had the chance to sleep on the events of yesterday, I have realized how heinously I acted. You were wonderfully kind to my mother and gracious as well. That is of no small importance to me. I am deeply in your debt."

Niki took a bite of sausage and swallowed, "You didn't forget the Radisson, did you?"

His eyes grew wide in disbelief, "Sheldon Cooper, forget? Surely you are joking. No, we are on the 6th floor with an excellent view of the harbor. I also didn't forget that you love rooms with a balcony. There is a large one attached to our room complete with table and chairs. We also have a six o'clock dinner reservation at their restaurant."

"I love you, Cooper. How did you manage that at the last minute?" she asked him between sips of coffee.

"You have forgotten you are talking to a genius." He looked over and noticed her eyes beginning to roll, "A genius who has discovered that money talks and applied that knowledge accordingly. Now, about the conversation we started last night, can it be saved for tonight over a seafood dinner by candlelight?

She nodded, "Of course, but why?"

"I want us to have complete privacy and unlimited time for discussion. This morning there is little chance we will have either of those. So, is later agreeable to you?"

"Sure, it will wait." Niki checked the clock, "When are you leaving?"

"In about thirty minutes from now. But I do believe I must go over and have a visit with Leonard and Penny before my mother and I leave." He frowned in frustration, "Oh, the social dictates are maddening!" He turned and walked towards the door, "How do people manage them all?"

Niki chuckled at his antics, sometimes his eccentricities were adorable. "Goodbye, Sheldon and have a good time with your mother. Tell her I said, Hey!"

He turned to face her, "That I will. Would it be presumptuous of me to tell Penny that you would enjoy her company later this morning?"

Niki popped the last piece of toast into her mouth, "I think that would be perfect."

Sheldon turned back towards the door and proceeded to leave, "Then I shall do so. Goodbye. Be ready to leave for the beach by four o'clock if that is possible."

"I'll be ready, now go! They're all waiting for you." Niki laid the tray to one side and got ready for her shower.

************************************************************************************* Sheldon entered his almost-used-to-be home and greeted Leonard and Penny, who were seated at the breakfast nook nursing their coffees. "Good morning, you two. Is my mother almost ready to go?"

Penny looked over at the closed door on the spare bedroom, "She should be out in a couple of minutes; I think she's face-timing Alfred again. You'd think after 10 years they would be past that, but they still don't go a day without checking in with each other. It's a little ridiculous; he's going to be here tomorrow, anyway."

Sheldon took his usual seat on the couch and informed her, "Love need not die, Penny, if it gets the proper nourishment. "

Penny could barely suppress a laugh, "Says the man who used to be mistaken for a robot."

Leonard grinned, got up from his seat, and left the room to check on Sheldon's mother. "I think you still resemble C-3PO sometimes."

Sheldon's eyes followed Leonard as he spoke, "I do believe I have grown since then, Leonard. I am quite capable of love now."

"So Niki has told me. " Penny winked at the back of his head as she spoke.

Sheldon's head wheeled back around to face her, "She has given you details?"

"Nope, darn it! But she says enough to give me a pretty good idea of how hot things can get with you two." Penny pretended to be fanning herself.

He shot her an irritated look, "Love is a mental activity, also."

"I know, I was just having a little fun with you."

He shook his head and sighed, "Don't you think you did enough of that last night?"

"Hey, that was not my idea. Your mother and Niki cooked that one up. It was good, though. You should have seen your face. Priceless!" Her eyes and mouth crinkled up at their corners at the thought of Sheldon's reaction to the ruse.

Mary Cooper entered the living room, Leonard following closely behind her, "Hey, Shellybean, ready to get going?"

Sheldon stood up quickly, he was extremely eager to end his uncomfortable conversation with Penny. "More than ready, Mother. Is our driver here yet?"

"Give him another minute or so, Sheldon. You know, you look pretty chipper today." Leonard flashed him an evil grin.

Sheldon rolled his eyes in exasperation, "Yes, Leonard. I am looking forward to spending some time with my mother."

"Anyone else you gonna spend time with?" Penny couldn't resist a chance to tease him.

"If you must know, Niki and I are spending tonight at the beach. You know, Penny, keeping it from 'getting old'. "'

Leonard now gave him a sincere smile. "Hey, that's cool. I'm glad you got everything straightened out with her last night. You did get things settled, right?"

"Of course. It is impossible for Niki and me to stay angry with each other."

"Give it time." The married couple both chimed in unison, barely able to suppress their laughs.

Sheldon hooked his arm through his mother's and steered them both towards the door, "Perhaps, but Niki is a unique individual. She accepts that I am not perfect and then forgives me."

"Until the next time." Penny got up and decided to walk them to the door.

"Very funny, Penny. Well, mother, shall we leave? Our driver just texted me that he has arrived."

Mary nodded her head, "Ready as I'll ever be. I do love that brunch they have at that Farmer's Market. It's so nice there. Such a pretty place right smack dab in the middle of the big city. Well, kids, we're off."

Leonard gave Mary a quick hug, "Have a nice time, you two. Enjoy your brunch."

Sheldon suddenly stopped in his tracks and turned his head, "Before I leave I must pass along a message from Niki . Penny, your presence at her apartment later this morning would not be unwelcome."

"Sheldon, why can't you just say she'd like me to come over? You know, like normal people say it."

Now it was Sheldon's turn to grin as he guided Mary out the door, "Well, then I wouldn't be me, now would I? Goodbye Penny, Leonard, enjoy your day."

Penny shrugged and looked toward Leonard, "I guess I'll call Niki in a bit. You don't mind if I visit for awhile with her?"

Leonard shook his head, "Of course not. Are you going to fill her in on 'you know what'?"

"That's my main reason for going over there, that and I want to get all the juicy details of what went down with those two last night. I'll let you know what she says about 'you know what'."

"It's been a long time since we've done that, I can't wait."

Penny walked towards the kitchen and looked back at her husband, "Well, it will be even more fun if Niki and Sheldon join us."

Sheldon and his mother had just been seated when she asked him, "Are you and Niki okay? She was a little upset with you last night."

He picked up his menu and began to study it, "Have no fear, Mother. Niki and I are good."

Mary cupped her chin in her hands and asked her son, "Niki's not like Amy, is she?"

Sheldon shot her a condescending look, "Nothing gets by you, does it?"

"Don't be sassing me, Sheldon Lee Cooper. I asked you a question and I expect a civil answer from you."

He sighed in submission, "Very well. No, you are correct. Niki is somewhat different from Amy. "

"Niki's a darlin', just like Amy was, but in a different way. She's real smart like Amy was, but then I can't see you with any other kind of girl. Also, she's funny as heck! I'll bet that girl is up for anything! Amy was a bit more on the careful side." She smiled at the memory of her conversations with her son's girlfriend the day before.

Sheldon finally put down his menu and addressed his mother, "Amy was also more patient than Niki tends to be. Niki is far more impetuous than Amy ever was and she has a bit of a temper as well, while Amy held a lot of things in. Furthermore, Niki is far more adventurous than Amy ever was. Did I tell you she has gotten me to rollerblade, and to go dancing quite often?"

Mary took a sip of her water and then chuckled softly, "Glory be! She is different than Amy isn't she? Well, I can't see Niki keepin' things bottled up for too long. The lady says what she feels, but she does it in such a sweet way you can't be mad at her."

Sheldon's face was suddenly filled with a soft smile, "Ah, yes. Staying mad at NIki is next to impossible, unless, of course, you're Emily Sweeny." Mary gave him a questioning look, "Don't ask, long story. For a female, Niki plays very few games, which I find quite refreshing." He suddenly leaned forward, an inquisitive look on his face, "How on earth did you get her to go along with that little charade last night?"

"That part was easy. She was madder than a wet hen at you. Have you ever had the chance to wear those ridiculous Disney ears in public?"

Sheldon became interested in his menu once more, "Of course not."

"Well, I wouldn't recommend it. I've never seen people stare so hard at someone. She must love you a whole lot to do that."

Sheldon set down his menu and admitted, "It is mutual, Mother. She is the only woman besides Amy that I have ever loved."

Mary looked fondly at her son,"Well, that's nice to hear. Oh, by the way, don't worry, she knows how you feel about her. How she does that with you keepin' your distance most of the time from her, I'll never know."

He shook his head and smiled at his mother, "In private we are quite affectionate with each other. I have always disliked public displays of affection, though Niki and I have kissed in public before, and it wasn't all that terrible. Anyway, I am happy that she knows how I feel about her. She is much like Amy in that she understands me completely."

Mary looked him straight in the eyes and said, "She wasn't understanding you too much yesterday, son."

"That was entirely my fault. I wasn't thinking. I wanted to see the movie and I also wanted to make sure you two would recognize each other at the crowded airport."' Sheldon stopped speaking as their server arrived and took their order.

After the waitress left, it was Mary's turn to lean forward, "Honey, with those eyes of hers, I would have recognized her anywhere."

"They are unique, aren't they?" He asked her, a dreamy expression on his face.

"They're the color of, of,..."

Sheldon gave her a not-so-subtle hint, "Mercury."

"What's that?"

He cautiously explained, "It's what is used inside some thermometers, Mother."

Mary nodded vigorously, "Oh, okay. Yeah, that's it. Never seen eyes that color in my life. With those dark lashes of hers, well, they don't look like nobody else's"

"And her freckles are adorable."

His mother's smile grew even wider, if that was possible, "Shelly, I've never heard you use the word _adorable_ before. You must really love this lady."

Sheldon looked straight at her and admitted, "That I do. With all of my heart."

"You planning on askin' her to marry you?" Mary asked him without any pause, "She's a keeper."

"All in good time, Mother. But trust me; I have no intention of letting her go…ever. "

"That's good to hear, but I wouldn't be puttin' off popping the question too long, if you know what I mean. I don't want to hear of you two living in sin without the sanctity of marriage."

Sheldon gave one of his classic eye rolls, "I was wondering how long it would take you to throw a moral lecture in there. Trust me; I have no intention of doing Niki wrong. Now, here is our food. I suggest we hurry up and eat. I do believe those Uber drivers charge by the hour for waiting. I don't want Alfred to see the bill and make you a widow for the second time."

"That will be enough, Sheldon! The driver was prepaid, so don't you worry none about the bill."

He picked up his sandwich and responded in a respectful tone, "Yes, Mother."

At 12:30, Penny bounded into Niki's apartment without knocking, "Hey, girlfriend!"

Niki looked up from the magazine she was reading, "I see Sheldon gave you my message." _I also see why Sheldon said we would not have much privacy today._

Penny plopped down on the couch next to Niki, "Yeah, he did but I was planning on coming over, anyway. I want to talk to you about something."

Niki put down her magazine, "Is it a personal thing again? I think you know quite a bit about my love life now."

"Relax. No, it's more of a group thing. Look, are you free three weeks from today?"

"Gee, I don't know. That depends on what I am going to make myself free for." Niki got up and headed for the kitchen, intent on getting her friend something to drink.

Penny followed her and explained, "Look, for about six or seven years, every spring our little group would hold a makeshift prom up on the roof of our building. We would hire a dj, have drinks, dancing, you know, just like a real prom, but it was only for those we invited."

Niki opened the door of the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of water, "That sounds like a lot of fun. You did this every year?"

"We did until Amy got too sick to go. It just didn't seem right to have it when Sheldon and Amy couldn't be there. The first year we held it was the first time Sheldon told Amy he loved her. That was so romantic." Penny smiled at the memory.

Niki handed Penny the bottle and sighed, "Oh that _was_ romantic! That must have been a very special night for both of them."

"Yep. We all had such a good time that we kept doing it every year. We ladies bought beautiful dresses and the guys all rented tuxes. We all looked fantastic and danced the night away. If we're lucky, this one will be more of the same." Penny returned to the couch and sat down with her legs crossed.

Niki stayed behind in the kitchen, "Sounds like my kind of evening. Count me in, Penny." Her eyes suddenly grew wide and she returned to the living room, "Oh, but have you mentioned this to Sheldon? We made an agreement last night not to accept any social engagements in the future without discussing it with the other party first."

Penny looked up at Nik and grinned, "Yeah, he does love those agreements, doesn't he? Anyway, Leonard talked to him about it yesterday, while they were at the movies. I think he'll ask you to go with him tonight."

Niki sat down next to Penny, "This is going to sound strange, but I'm as excited about this as I was about my real prom."

"Oh, you went to your prom?" Penny sounded surprised.

"What, nerds don't date? Okay, I'll confess, I was dating a boy from the local college and he didn't want to go to a high school prom. I understood."

Penny took a sip of her water, "So what did you do?"

Niki began to reminisce, "He told me to buy myself a beautiful dress and have my hair and makeup done, just as if I was going to the prom. But, he took me to a fancy restaurant for a steak and lobster dinner. And then we went dancing. I have never regretted not actually going to the real prom."

"Did you guys get a hotel room…after?"

Niki chuckled and shook her head, "Nah, we were just two virgin nerds. That came later, with a different guy. Still, it was a pretty special night for me."

Penny winked at her friend and smiled, "Well, I think things will be a little different this time."

Niki nodded innocently, "Oh yeah, no steak and lobster."

Penny picked up her water and faced her friend, "Niki, you know damn well what I meant! You and Sheldon will probably, well, you know."

Niki could barely keep a straight face as she answered her, "No, I don't know."

Penny put down her water and sighed, "Okay, play dumb if you want, but I know you two will be dancing the horizontal tango before the night is done."

Niki could hold her serious look no longer. She giggled and responded, "Wow. You make it sound so romantic." A mischievous look crossed her face and she began to tease Penny. "What about you and Leonard? Should I make book on you two making whoopee, gettin' busy, knockin' boots, getting your ashes hauled, playing hide the salami…"

Penny collapsed on the couch with laughter, "Okay, stop. You're going to make me pee myself in a second. Okay, yes, I suppose Leonard and I will most likely follow tradition and be 'hooking up'. Oh, it's going to be a great night, I can see it now!"

Niki decided to change the subject, "Okay, so that's been cleared up. Now, when do you want to go shopping for our dresses?"

Penny calmed down and thought for a moment, "Let's see when Bernie can get free and then we'll arrange the time. Most likely next Friday?"

"Sounds good to me. It's good to have that settled."

Penny leaned in towards Niki, "Speaking of getting things settled, how did things go last night with Sheldon?"

"Oh, we talked and worked things out. We're fine."

Penny gave her an unbelieving stare, "You guys just talked?'

Niki shook her head and went to the kitchen to get another drink, "Penny, get your mind out of the gutter. I was exhausted and I had just spent three hours with his mother. Yeah, nothing gets a girl hotter than being with a guy's mother, discussing premarital sex and the Lord."

Penny yelped as Niki returned to the couch, "Oh my god, Niki Horner! Sometimes you are so outrageous!"

"Yep. That's why we're friends. That and the fact I'm dating your husband's brother."

Penny threw a sofa pillow at Niki and both women dissolved into laughter.

 **How will Niki and Sheldon's night at the beach go? Will he actually ask her to go to prom with him? The answers are in the next chapter.**


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22: Making Them an Offer They Can't Refuse

 **This is a big night for our lovers.**

Niki checked her overnight bag in preparation for their night at the beach. _Let's see, tooth brush, toothpaste, makeup, change of underwear, deodorant, perfume, hairbrush,_

Her inspection was interrupted suddenly by Sheldon tapping her lightly on the shoulder, "I'm back."

Niki jumped and threw her bag into the air, "Damn it, Sheldon! Why didn't you knock? I thought that was your special thing."

"I didn't realize that was required now. You did give me a key. Am I correct?"

Niki sat down on the bed to calm herself, "Sure. I guess you don't have to knock anymore, but don't sneak up behind me like that. It scares the shit out of me when people do that. I once doused a college administrator with very warm café au lait. You got lucky, fella."

Sheldon nodded and helped her pick up her things from the floor, "Duly noted. Now, are you ready to leave?"

"Almost. I think my hairbrush is somewhere over there." She said, pointing to a far corner of the bedroom.

Sheldon looked over to where she had pointed and went to retrieve it, "I see it. You have quite the pitching arm. Have you ever considered a career in baseball?"

"Very funny. Are your things packed and ready to go?"

He handed her the brush, held up his overnight bag, and pointed to a garment bag in the doorway, "You question me? How silly."

Niki took the brush and nodded thoughtfully, "You're right, I should trust you more. You're a grown man, not a child."

Sheldon looked at her and frowned, "Amy used to treat me like a child sometimes, I can't say I always liked it."

"Maybe she needed to; you told me once that now was the time for you to grow up, so perhaps you didn't always act maturely with her." Niki told him as she zipped her bag shut and got ready to leave.

Sheldon went over and lifted her garment bag, "I suppose that may be true, but I don't want that kind of relationship with you. The time for that is past."

She stood up and looked him in the eye, "I'm glad to hear you say that. I do admire your intelligence, your passion for what you do, and your loyalty to those you love. Those are very admirable qualities, Sheldon. We can work on the maturity thing together. I just don't want to be your mother, you have one, I've met her and she's a lovely woman. I want to be your woman and I want you to be my man."

Sheldon bent down and kissed her lightly, "Agreed. I want that, too. Now, I did arrange for our dinner and accommodations tonight, so that's a start. I also want to show you that I can take the lead sometimes. I know Amy waited far too long and far too often for me to show her how much I cared. I don't want that in this relationship. "

"On that note, I say we get this show on the road." Niki grabbed his overnight bag, "Here, I've got that; you've got those huge garment bags."

"Fine." He let her take his smaller bag, "Oh, another thing I want to change."

"What's that?"

They left the bedroom and walked across the living room, "I want to take driving lessons and get my license. I do think it's time for me to do that."

Niki put her load down for a second and looked at Sheldon, "Well, if you think you really want that, go for it. You do know, Sheldon, that a driver's license doesn't necessarily make you an adult."

"I know that," he admitted, "but I would love to occasionally be the driver when we go to work or other places. Such as picking up my mother from the airport, for example."

She nodded in understanding, "Okay, I'll support you in that. But for now, I'll be driving us to the beach. It's only fair. You made the reservations and are paying for all of this, so I'll do the driving."

He agreed with a slight grin on his face, "All right."

"But Sheldon?" She picked the bags back up and headed out the door.

"What?" he asked, following close behind her.

"Next time we go somewhere special, it will be my turn to pay. Fair is fair."

He smiled at her warmly, "Agreed. Now, let's lock the door and get going."

As they entered the lobby of the Radisson, they were both amazed by its opulence. It was very unlike the wood and stone interior of the Grand Californian they had stayed at when they were at Disneyland. No, this hotel was a showcase for glitz and luxury, not rustic charm. They headed for the front desk, taking in their surroundings with awe. Niki almost felt guilty for insisting on this hotel, but that feeling was short lived when she remembered the traffic and Mouse ears of the day before. Sheldon retrieved the swipe cards from the front desk and they then headed towards the elevator and went up to their room. Niki's first impression of the place was gold, lots of gold. The entire room was done in brilliant gold and white. However, the balcony was expansive and the room also contained two large flat screens televisions mounted on the wall. Sheldon had trouble figuring out why anyone would need one of those, let alone two. He looked at Niki and remarked, "You'd think if people wanted to watch television they could just stay home."

Niki attempted an explanation for the multiple televisions, "Sheldon, some people stay here from out of town. They come here on business so there may be more than one person staying in the room to save the company traveling costs. Perhaps television helps them to unwind after a long day."

"I know how _I_ like to unwind after a hard day." Sheldon wrapped his arms around her and gave her a slow, sensuous, kiss.

Niki broke the kiss, "Well, let's have dinner first and save that for desert, shall we?"

He ran his hand up under her top, "We could have desert first."

"Sheldon, we would both need a shower first."

He pulled her closer and kissed her once again, "And your point is?"

She returned his kiss with equal passion, "Nothing, nothing at all. But don't we have reservations for six?"

"You will be happy to know that I changed them to seven while I was out with my mother. Just in case something came up."

She pressed even harder against him and ran her fingers through his hair, "Dr. Cooper, are you just punning with me?"

He moaned hoarsely, "Oh, most definitely."

She pulled both of his shirts off, took his hand, and guided them both to the shower. "I love a man who plans ahead."

An hour later, they put their personal belongings away and changed for dinner. Sheldon wore the same blue suit he had worn to their first dinner party. Niki was dressed in a long, flowing, black skirt and an off- white, long sleeved, silk top. They both stepped back and viewed the other with approval. He slipped his arm through hers and together they headed down to the restaurant for dinner.

The restaurant in the hotel was as opulent as their room and the lobby. They stared with wide eyes and open mouths as they were led to their table. After they had been seated and ordered their dinners, Sheldon broached the subject of their future plans, "Shall we continue our conversation from last night?"

Niki took a long sip of her water, "About our cohabiting?"

"Exactly. You were going to fill me in on your Master Plan."

Niki put down her glass and looked directly at her boyfriend, "Okay. Sheldon, do you envision yourself working for Cal Tech indefinitely?"

He stared at her across the table, contemplating his answer, "I had never given that issue much thought. I would suppose so."

Niki smiled at him as if letting him in on the world's best kept secret, "What if I came up with an alternate plan?"

Sheldon frowned, "I'm not following you".

"What if I found a property that had private living quarters for us and a separate section for serious research? Would you be interested in moving there?"

He shook his head and looked at her as if she'd lost her mind, "I'd say you were dreaming. That sort of property would run quite a bit of money."

Niki nodded decisively, "It sure would, unless I had someone backing us who would pay 40% of the startup costs and provide us with all the scientific equipment we would need."

His eyes grew wide, "You have that?" He asked her, astounded.

She gave him a look that made him pay attention and lowered her voice, "Maybe. Look, remember when I told you Paul was a member of a couple of those secret societies, much like the Illuminati?"

Sheldon shot her a wary look, "Much like, or the actual group?"

She shrugged in indifference, "Does it really matter?" She then continued more seriously, "There is a member of one of those groups who was a good friend of Paul's. He has read some of your work and is a huge fan. When he and his wife found out I was working with you they became extremely eager to help us fund our own research facility."

"You're kidding me!" He couldn't believe what she was telling him.

Niki gave him the smirk he knew so well, "Nope. I insisted that we pay 60% of the purchase price of whatever property I found in order to keep control of the entire operation in our hands. They agreed to that and are willing to partner up with us. We just have to find the right property in the right location."

Sheldon's face showed deep concern alongside growing excitement, "But what about Cal Tech? They own a large part of the research we have already done."

Niki picked up a breadstick and twirled it in her hand, "Oh…the school will be convinced to transfer full ownership of that to us if we agree to forgo any prolonged legal battle."

"Do I want to ask how that will happen?" He took a very long drink of water after he had asked her this.

She placated his fears, "Nothing nefarious. The college will just be paid an immense amount of money for both releasing us and for said rights to our research. They will be unable to say no. Institutions of higher learning love money and the administrators of the college realize full well that our research could come to naught."

He leaned forward so his voice wouldn't carry, "Don't your people know the same thing?"

Niki nodded, "Of course, but they believe in you. They have you right up there with Hawking and me not far behind. If this theory ends up being a bust, they have full faith that we will eventually come up with something that is Nobel worthy. These people are all about prestige and power. Money means little to them beyond its power to get them those very things. They want to have their names associated with a Nobel Prize very badly. And they believe we are the ones who could get that for them." Sheldon swallowed hard and turned pale. "Before you panic, these people are powerful, but abhor any form of, shall we say, physical coercion. They have no desire to call negative attention to themselves. Only legal means will be used to acquire our services. They have enough funds to easily get what they want without resorting to threats and violence."

Sheldon' mouth fell open and he kept shaking his head, "Amazing!"

Niki reached across the table and took his hand, "So, what do you think? Are you in or not?"

He held up a finger, "I have one question."

"Yes?"

"How are we supposed to fund the majority of this endeavor?"

She swirled the ice in her drink, "Do you have any money saved from working at Cal Tech?"

He nodded, "I do. Quite a bit, in fact. Living at Leonard and Penny's has kept my living expenses extremely low. I have also profited quite handsomely from several investments I have made."

She put down her glass, took a dinner roll from the basket and began to nonchalantly butter it, "When Paul died he left me an almost indecent amount of money. I'll match you dollar for dollar on the purchase of the property. Money should be no problem for us; our future associates will be paying us a handsome salary. Much more than we make now."

Sheldon thought for moment and then asked, "How long have you known of this plan?"

Niki stared at the ceiling, "Hmmm, for about a week now." She then trained her eyes on Sheldon, "They approached me a few days ago about this and I told them I could not make a decision until I had spoken to you."

"We go in equally on the property?"

She nodded and lowered her voice again, "Yes. They will pay our salaries and those of anyone we want to take with us from the school."

Sheldon face got very animated, "Like Leonard, Howard, and Raj?"

"Yes, exactly like Leonard, Howard, and Raj." Now her voice began to show excitement, "They trust us to name anyone we want to work with us, within limits, of course."

"Will this be strictly for scientific research?"

She took a bite of her roll, swallowed and answered his question, "For now. We can expand in the future if we want, but I would prefer to keep it restricted to strictly scientific research."

Sheldon cradled his chin in his hands, "As would I. So, what is our first step, besides informing them that we are interested?"

Niki's face came alive, "You'll love this, they want us to draw up a partnership agreement and present it to their attorney. We are to have an attorney from our side review it as well. You may choose the attorney if you wish. As soon as I give them the green light they will provide us with the corporation name they will use so we can include that in the document."

Sheldon's eyes shone cobalt blue with excitement, "Let's get on that this week, then. I will draw up the contracts and you will scout properties. He smiled at her, "Partners?"

She grinned broadly back at him, "Partners."

Now it was his turn to pick up a dinner roll, "There is now one more order of business I wish to discuss with you. Niki, I have something I have been meaning to ask you."

She took another sip of her water and nodded at him, "Okay, what is it?"

Sheldon shifted uneasily in his seat, "I suppose this will seem rather insignificant after your news, but it is still important to me."

Niki had a good idea what was coming, "Sheldon, nothing you ask is insignificant to me, so go ahead."

He sighed deeply, "All right. Did Penny tell you about the prom we are holding on the roof of our building?"

Niki nodded enthusiastically, "Yes, she did mention something about it this afternoon."

"That makes this easier then. Niki Horner, would you do me the honor of going to prom with me?"

"I would love to go to prom with you, Sheldon Cooper. When is it going to be held? I forgot what Penny told me."

"I believe it will be held in about three weeks."

Niki brightened, "Oh, right after Penny's Opening Night!"

"Yes, I do believe that is correct." At that point their food arrived, filet mignon for him and sea bass for her. Several minutes passed without any conversation as they enjoyed their meal.

Niki took a break from eating and smiled at her handsome date, "Well, Cooper, it looks like we will both be busy the next few weeks. Oh, I almost forgot! I also have to ask you something very important. Sheldon?"

He looked up from his plate, "Yes?"

"It's about the opening night of the play."

He leaned in seductively closer to her, "What do you need to ask me?"

Niki colored visibly and asked him, "Would you be my date to Penny's Opening Night?"

"I would love to escort you to that event, Niki Horner." With that settled, they went back to eating their dinner, satisfied with both their food and their future plans.

A few minutes passed, Niki suddenly put down her knife and fork and smiled, happy with her sudden thought, "It e would seem we are dating pretty seriously now."

Sheldon folded his napkin, placed it on the table, and nodded, "It does look that way, doesn't it?"

Niki picked up her glass of apple juice, "May I make a toast?"

"I can't see any reason why not. It's your glass."

She shook her head in amusement raised her glass, and began her toast, "To the Cooper/Horner alliance!"

He raised his as well and echoed her words, "To the Cooper/Horner alliance!" He cocked an eyebrow and continued in a sensuous voice, "In addition I do believe that since our dinner is finished and we have paid the bill, we should now return to our room." He stood up and pulled her chair out for her.

"Yes, I want to see the view from that balcony, with you of course." She took his arm and rested her head on his shoulder.

"I would have it no other way, my dear doctor." They were still holding an animated discussion as they left the restaurant and headed for the elevator, eagerly discussing the events of the evening.

They entered their room and both flopped on the bed to relax. After a few minutes, Niki sat up and suggested, "Let's go out on the balcony and talk."

Sheldon got up off the bed and made his way to the refrigerator, "First, let's see what there is in here to drink. Hmmm…there's water, not festive enough; chilled wine, you don't want that; soda, I don't think so; and some non alcoholic champagne. That will do nicely. I'll pour us each a glass."

Sheldon brought their filled glasses out to the table on the balcony, where Niki waited for him. She took her glass and sighed happily, "This is nice. We can see all the way to the harbor. Have you ever taken a cruise?"

He shook his head and put both hands up in front of him as if to block the very idea, "Good Lord no, I get sick on boats."

Niki turned and reassured him, "An ocean liner has very little movement, Sheldon. It is like sitting in your living room. I can promise you, you most likely will not get seasick." She winked at him playfully, "Plus, I get very amorous when I'm on a ship."

Sheldon looked out towards the harbor and grinned, "Perhaps we could try a short cruise sometime. That might work."

"I love to cruise. I find ships are the best way to travel, after the train, that is." She picked up her glass and took a sip of the faux champagne.

"Of course. You know, as we were talking in the restaurant, I realized how little we truly know about each other's lives before we met. We know the basics; we were both happily married, our spouses both died, we both worked at highly ranked universities, and we both want to win the Nobel Prize for our research. But still, how much do we _really_ know about each other. Here we are planning to run a research facility together and on paper, we barely know each other. Maybe we need to talk more about ourselves."

She saw what he was saying and put down her glass, "Who goes first?"

Sheldon traced his fingers along the rim of his glass, "You may start, after all, ladies first."

"Okay. What would you care to know?"

"For starters, what was your childhood like? Start with that and keep going."

Niki walked over to the balcony railing and began to talk, "Well, I grew up not far from Pasadena, in Monrovia. I was not a pretty child, I was tall, skinny, wore braces and thick glasses, and was covered in freckles. Yeah, all the boys thought I was hot. But I was very intelligent, always the head of my class. By my junior year in high school, I'd filled out some, the braces came off, I had Lasik surgery on my eyes so I didn't need glasses any longer, and most of my freckles had faded. The one thing that remained the same was that I was still highly intelligent. I was accepted by Harvey Mudd College and did my undergrad there. As I told you before, I did my Doctorate at Stanford and when I graduated, I taught high school chemistry and physics. I did that for a couple of years and then I was hired by a local community college to teach astrophysics and astronomy. When I received an offer to teach as an adjunct at Keck, I jumped at the offer. After about five years I was given tenure and that is where I taught for about three more years. Those were mostly very good years for me. I had my dream job and I met and married Paul. Life was good until…Okay, now it's your turn. You know about my life since Paul died. I'd love to hear more about you."

Sheldon walked over to her and put his arm around her shoulders, "I still have some questions about your marriage to Paul. How did you meet him, what was your marriage like, and how did you meet those connections you mentioned tonight at dinner?"

Niki sighed and continued, "I met Paul when I started to teach at Keck. He was part of a symposium on scientific research and its legal ramifications. Faculty and presenters had a cocktail party later in the evening and Paul singled me out and bought me a drink. Let's see, what was he like? He was a large man who was very charming and smooth, he could make me laugh like no one else, and he was also highly intelligent. His father had been a prominent attorney in Los Angeles, so he grew up meeting many influential people and I eventually met some of them myself. We dated for about a year, got engaged, and married shortly thereafter. Was it a happy marriage? I used to think it was. He made me laugh, we went out all the time and had fun, and he always encouraged me in my career." She turned to face Sheldon, "But now, I'm not so sure. We were never as close as you and I can be, ever. When we had sex, it was good, but it was never making love. Paul was a passionate and skilled lover, but I don't believe his heart was ever in it one hundred percent. He loved me as much as he possibly could love anyone, but there was never anywhere near as much love as I feel coming from you. I wanted him physically and mentally, but I want you so much more. You are loyal, faithful, and devoted, while he had a couple of affairs that he swore meant nothing to him. I stayed because that is what I thought marriage to a successful man was supposed to be like. I can't imagine either you or I doing that to each other. Do you know how and when he died? He had a heart attack in a cheap hotel room while entertaining a stripper he had met at a seedy 'Gentlemen's Club'. Cute, huh? His family thought there must have been something lacking in me for him to do something like that, and they eventually got me believing it, too. That's where the drinking started. So, I had what many people who weren't in the know would call a fairly decent marriage, but what I have now with you is so much better. What I learned through therapy was that Paul's actions had nothing to do with me and everything to do with him. I now value myself much more and any relationship I am in I demand respect, both for me and for the other person." She turned to him and exhaled slowly, "Okay, that's my life before I met you in a nutshell. Any questions?

Sheldon had stood quietly next to her and listened to her talk, his heart opening up even more to this lovely woman who had just bared her soul to him. Without him realizing it, tears had started rolling down his cheeks. The one word he would never have used before tonight in describing Niki would have been vulnerable. He now realized she was more than likely as vulnerable as himself, maybe even more so. "No, no questions. I had no idea you had gone through all of that in your marriage."

Niki placed her hand over his, "Sheldon, everyone goes through something. I am no different. Now, your turn, tell me about Amy."

He guided her back to the table and began to speak, "This will be rather long as I need to begin before Amy. I hope when I am finished you will have not lost all of your love for me. Okay, I was born in East Texas, near Galveston. I was an unusual child of high intelligence and, of course, the other children teased me unmercifully. My defense against them was to convince myself that I was superior to my tormentors in every way. So well did I convince myself of this that I began to think of myself as a separate and more worthy human being than everyone around me. The only group of people I didn't completely alienate was my family, but I came pretty close, even with them. I told myself I needed no one and that those who sought friendship, romance, or any kind of human contact were inferior beings to me. This lasted as I climbed my way up the ladder of academia. I lived pretty well in my little bubble until I met Leonard Hofstadter. He not only became my roommate, but my very first friend. As you may have noticed, Leonard is extremely likeable, longsuffering, and kind. He suffered through my rigid rules, my insults, and my incredibly restrictive lifestyle and stayed a true friend. He, in the course of our relationship, introduced me to his colleagues, Raj and Howard. No matter how diligently I tried to alienate them, they hung around. Mostly to be with Leonard, I would assume. But through that, I began to realize just how important and strong the bonds of friendship could be. Anyway, I now had friends, but I allowed no female to get close to me except Penny. In time she also became a trusted friend and the love of Leonard's life. I had no interest in that sort of thing, whatsoever, and it always remained a mystery to me why men and women wanted each other. That is, until I met and got to know Amy Farah Fowler . We started off as friends but in time I realized I liked her company more than that of anyone else. To make a long story short, she became my very first girlfriend. The only thing was, I didn't know how to be a boyfriend. I was still unable, or unwilling, to show anyone any true emotional or physical intimacy. Amy put up with that for several years, and as I and the others have informed you, she held a lot inside and was very patient with me. Eventually I became too much for even her to handle and she broke up with me, right before I was going to propose to her. How could she have known? I barely kissed her or hugged her at all and when I did, I made it seem forced, though in reality it seldom was. Eventually, I broke down and admitted to myself that Amy was the only woman for me. We got back together, had coitus for the first time and I let her know I was going to marry her…someday. I was still very standoffish with her and neglected both her emotional and physical needs."

Niki squeezed his hand, "Oh Sheldon, how awful, for both of you!"

He nodded in agreement, "Yes, it was. Anyway, I did finally propose and we were married. I'm sure it was a happy day for both of us, but you wouldn't have noticed it was joyful for me. Always the human robot. Once married I still found it hard to be intimate with Amy the way she deserved. Oh, we occasionally made love, but not as often as she would have liked. I still kept that wall up between me and the world, and Amy was part of the world. Time went by and I believed I was happy. I assumed Amy was, also. Looking back, I can see I hurt her greatly by my indifference. Then she became ill and it was too late to hold her, make love to her, or cherish her the way a wonderful woman like Amy truly deserved. At the end, all I could do was hold her hand and be there for her. Shortly before she died, I crawled into her hospital bed and held her close and told her all the things I should have been telling her all along. Do you know what she said to me?

Niki wiped a tear from her eyes, "No, what did she tell you?"

"She told me, 'Sheldon, save it. It's too late to do me any good now.' Niki that is why I had such a hard time with Amy's passing. It was grief, there was that, but it was mostly guilt. If it hadn't been for the kindness and compassion of Leonard and Penny, I don't know what might have happened to me. I will always have to live with the reality that I treated a beautiful woman like she was invisible and that will be my greatest regret until the day I die. I have told you many times that I don't want a relationship with you like I had with her, and that is mostly why. That is also the reason I kiss you, hold you, and tell you so often I desire you. As Amy instructed me, I have saved all of my love and passion that I should have shown her, for you. I love you, Niki, deeply and forever. And this time, I am going to show my woman just how precious she is to me. I want no guilt or regret this time. Do you understand?"

By this time, Niki was openly crying. She squeezed his hand and nodded, "Yes, Sheldon. I do understand. My defense was humor, a withering, caustic, humor. I used that very well the first time we met, didn't I? I just basically distrusted everyone and tried to keep them at arm's length. I won't do that with you, I promise. I love you as much or more, than I have ever loved anyone. Nothing you have said has made me love you any less. We were two emotionally wounded people doing the best we could." She stood up, hugged him tightly, took his hand and led him back to the edge of the balcony. "Now, since you paid for all of this, let's look at those beautiful harbor lights. Romantic, aren't they?"

Sheldon wrapped his arms around her from behind and exhaled slowly. "That they are, that they are."

 **What's next for our lovers? Read on.**


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23 : The Devil is in the Details

 **Our happy couple buys a home. Do you think they will agree on which one to buy?**

One evening, later that same week, Leonard came out of the kitchen and saw Sheldon typing something on his laptop. Curiosity got the better of him and he had to ask, "Whatcha doin', Sheldon?"

His roommate never looked up as he answered, "Typing a document, Leonard."

Leonard came closer, trying to get a better look, "I can see that. What kind of document?"

Sheldon eyes remained focused on the computer screen, "If you must know, it's a partnership agreement."

His friend crossed his arms and his face broke into a smile, "Things are getting that serious with Niki, huh?"

"It would seem so." Sheldon now looked up at him and asked, "Is the printer on?"

Leonard walked across the room to his own desk, "Let me check. Yeah, print away." He walked back to Sheldon's desk, "By the way, have you informed Niki of this agreement?"

The taller man walked over to the printer, retrieved the printout, and replied, "I have written it at her request, Leonard."

"Wow. You two are made for each other."

Sheldon turned off his computer and put on his jacket, "I was wondering when you were going to realize that. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must take this over to Niki. She is most eager to read it."

Leonard returned to the kitchen, "Okay, see you later. Shall I hold dinner for you? Penny should be home in a couple of minutes."

"No, you two go ahead and eat. I will most likely have something over there."

********r****************************************************************************

Sheldon entered Niki's apartment and handed her several pages of printed paper, "As requested, one partnership agreement. Personally, I love the name they came up with for their corporation, Binary."

She took the offered pages from his hand, "Yeah, I got a kick out of that, too. It was very clever of them. When you come to think of it, we are like a set of eclipsing binary stars. We are the visible star, prominent, out there for everyone to see, and they are directly behind us, unseen, but extremely important."

Sheldon walked over to the window and looked out over the city, "It makes perfect sense. As with any true binary system, you can't have one without the other. Now, please take a few minutes to peruse the document and let me know what you think."

Niki read it closely, going over each page carefully, "It looks fine to me, but we can take it to your lawyer at lunch tomorrow for his validation. I hope everyone will trust me on this."

He turned from the window to face her, "I don't follow you."

Niki had a worried tone to her voice as she told him, "I'm sure some of our friends may think I am stealing you away from the university for my own profit."

Sheldon walked over to her and took her in his arms, "But you are, and for my profit, also. There is nothing underhanded or unfair about our agreement. Our friends will know soon enough that they will have a part in this, too."

"True, but what if they resist coming with us? Working for Cal Tech is a secure position with benefits up the kiester. Leonard and Howard are married with responsibilities; they may not want to take a gamble with us."

He took a step away from her, walked back over to the window and asked, "Do you consider this a gamble?"

Niki place the papers on the coffee table and answered him, "Sheldon, life is nothing _but_ a gamble. But to answer your question in the context in which it was asked, no. This partnership is not much of a gamble at all. Our guaranteed salaries and initial expenses are written into the agreement, correct?"

He nodded, "Yes, they are."

"So, if our attorney signs off on it and their attorney signs off on it, it is then legally binding. Of course, we still have to find a property. When we purchase a suitable building or buildings, then we will add an addendum to the agreement, giving the address and the details of the sale. All very cut and dried, all very legal."

Sheldon returned to looking out over the city, "Have you found any properties you believe may be appropriate?

"My realtor has sent me a few that I haven't looked at yet, but right now I'm getting hungry. Let's go get something to eat, my treat. What do you feel like? Thai? Italian?"

Sheldon turned from the window and walked back to her side. Within seconds he was pulling her close and his hands began exploring her body, "You know what I am in the mood for. Can we discuss food later?"

Her hands moved in unison with his, seeking out every contour of his body, "Funny. It now seems I am extremely hungry for something other than food."

He chuckled softly, "I thought you'd begin to see things my way."

Penny walked through the door of her home and greeted her husband, "Hey, I'm home! How's it going? Did you get your Dad and Mary to the ship on time?"

Leonard emerged from the kitchen, a cup of tea in his hand, "It's going fine and Dad and Mary are steaming towards Cabo as we speak. How was rehearsal?"

Penny hugged her husband and looked at him with gleaming eyes, "Great! I'm so excited for opening night. Oh, by the way, I've got our tickets right here. Front row. Neat, huh?" She looked around the room, "Where's Sheldon? I've got his tickets here, too."

Leonard pointed towards the next building, "He's over at Niki's. You can give them to him when he gets home."

Penny stared hard at him, "You're kidding, right? You actually think he's coming home tonight?"

Leonard took the tickets from her and laid them on the kitchen counter, "Okay, I'll take them and give them to him at work. You want to know something?"

"What?"

He walked over to Sheldon's desk and looked down, "He was writing what he called a 'partnership agreement' tonight. He took it over for Niki to see. "

Penny sat down on the couch and began to leaf through a magazine, "He may be back sooner than I thought. Does she know about this?"

Leonard came over and sat next to her. "You won't believe this. He told me she was the one who requested he write it."

Penny put down the magazine and turned to her husband, "Leonard, that doesn't sound like her. There's something more going on here than one of his silly contracts."

He took a sip of his tea and shrugged his shoulders, "Could be, but if we wait for him to tell us, we'll never know."

She nodded and began to think, "I know. That is why I'm going to ask Niki about it as soon as I can. Sometimes those two are a complete mystery to me."

"They're different, all right. It seems weird to see the two of them together sometimes."

Penny got up and went to the refrigerator, "Hey, at least Sheldon's happy. Do you remember how he was after Amy died? He might as well have gone with her. It's nice to see him smile again, and leave the house when it's not for work."

Leonard followed her movements with his eyes; he never got over how gracefully his wife moved and how beautiful she was, "Yeah, she's made a big difference in him, all right. I still don't see how it works with them, but then, look at us."

Penny threw him a taunting grin over her shoulder, "You mean the ditzy actress and the nerdy physicist?

"I don't know about the ditzy part, you were smart enough to marry me."

Penny came out of the kitchen with an apple and sat next to Leonard, "And you were ditzy enough to let me."

Leonard pulled her close and kissed her, "Best ditz I ever made."

She kissed him back, "Me too. Now, let's have dinner and talk about some interesting desert."

Later that evening, Sheldon and NIki were sitting in their favorite Italian restaurant, trying to decide what to order, or at least Sheldon was attempting to decide. He took a piece of bread and buttered it as he was getting extremely hungry and Niki still hadn't made up her mind. Truth be told, she had barely looked at the menu, most of her attention had been focused on her phone. He decided to push her for an order, "The Chicken Marsala is excellent here, though I do know you have a preference for their lasagna. Will you be ordering that, or did you have something else in mind?" Several seconds passed without an answer, so he spoke in a louder tone, "Niki, have you even been listening to a word I've been saying?"

She looked up from her phone, gave him an apologetic look, "I'm sorry, I've been texting my realtor and he has sent me pictures of some properties he wants us to consider. I'm truly sorry about that, it was rude. Now, what were you saying?"

His hunger was forgotten in his interest over the properties, "Ignore what I was saying, did he send you anything interesting?"

"Eh, not really. Just some commercial properties in downtown Pasadena and Glendale, not what I think we're looking for, but what do you think?" She put down her phone and picked up her menu. "As far as dinner goes, I think I'll have my usual, the lasagna."

"Good, the lasagna has never disappointed you. As far as downtown living goes, no, I do not want us to be in the middle of all the noise and distractions. Remember, we agreed that we wanted to live on or near the property and city noises would surely interfere with our work. I love to go to the city, but I truly don't want to live in the city center. Has he sent you anything on the outskirts of town, like where we live now?"

She shook her head sadly, "No such luck…" Her face suddenly brightened considerably, "Wait a minute! Sheldon, come here a minute. I think this one might be right up our alley."

Sheldon left his seat and walked around to the other side of the table. He looked over Niki's shoulder at the screen of her phone. What he saw caused him to smile broadly. "It's perfect! It seems to be exactly what we need. It will suit our needs very well."

Niki's thumbs started racing across her phone's keyboard, "I'm going to text Richard right now and tell him we want to look at it tomorrow, right after work. Does that work for you?"

Sheldon returned to his seat and asked her in a worried voice, "What if someone buys it by then?"

Niki looked up from her phone and addressed his concern, "It hasn't come on the public market yet, Sheldon, we have a few days. But why wait? I want to see this place as soon as possible. Can the attorneys wait awhile for all the paperwork? I'd rather submit it to them with the deal for a property included."

Sheldon picked up his own phone and began to text rapidly, "I will let my attorney know what is happening. I'm sure he will be happy to inform Binary."

"Remember, Sheldon, Binary has to okay the property as well, though I doubt they will be able to find fault with this one."

What they were both staring at was a large, perfectly round, Grecian style building with a large cupola on the roof. There were expansive wings running from each side, and, best of all, there was a two bedroom guest house in the back, along with a swimming pool and cabana. If a person wanted to buy a private retreat that combined both luxury and utilitarian features, this would be the place. It was also perfectly situated in the hills above Altadena. It would be a short drive there for both Raj and Howard, if they ultimately decided to join their venture.

Niki looked at Sheldon, her eyes shining bright silver in her excitement, "Sheldon, we could live on the bottom floor and use the second floor rooms for our research. We could even convert one of the wings into a lab for Howard. The cupola would be the perfect place to put a telescope for me and Raj to use. We could also turn that entryway into a spectacular lobby."

Sheldon grinned broadly at her enthusiasm, "What about that guest house?"

She grinned back at him, "Well, if you could have anyone live there, who would it be?"

He took a sip of his water and then exclaimed, "Leonard and Penny, of course. The more I think about it, the more I realize I want them there, near me, but not too close."

"That's exactly who I had in mind. The second wing could be made into guest rooms, for when family comes to visit. I'm getting ahead of myself, I know that, but I'm seeing what this could be!" Niki stopped talking as the waiter took their order. After giving the man her order, she noticed Sheldon had picked up his phone again and was sending a message to someone, "Who are you texting now, Sheldon?"

He kept texting without looking up, "Binary's attorneys. I think they should view this property with us. I know the actual corporation members wish to remain unseen, but I do believe they should have a representative there, don't you agree?"

She took a bite of her breadstick and responded, "Yes, absolutely. Tell them to meet us there at six. Richard just messaged me that he will be there by then. This is starting to become real in my head. It's exciting, but also a little scary."

Sheldon looked at her with a very serious face, "I have always found change frightening, Niki. But most large changes in my life have proven themselves to be most beneficial to me. So fear be damned, let's begin our new life together!"

"I agree, but here comes our waiter with the food, so let's begin tonight's dinner together first."

 **Note to the reader: I used to work as a legal assistant and the private thoughts behind the smiles and professional demeanor of those in law and real estate can be pretty spot on most of the time. Especially when theres' bad blood flowing.**

Then next evening found Niki, Sheldon, and Marcus, the attorney for Binary, waiting in front of the property in Altadena for Richard Suarez, Niki's real estate agent. While waiting, they all studied the outside of the building carefully. The grounds were a bit unkempt, but that was to be expected, seeing as the property had been uninhabited for more than six months. But it seemed to be in good shape structurally. The outside appeared to be gray polished granite, with a large portico leading to an ornate double front door. It was two stories high, not counting the cupola, and each story was fairly tall. If the central part of the building had not been perfectly round, the effect would have made the building seem taller than it was wide. As it was, the center building looked much like a hemisphere, which pleased the two physicists greatly. The two wings were both single story, but held to the same Grecian design as the center. High, sturdy, columns encircled the first and second floor of the central building and looked as if they were the main support for the second floor, but everyone assumed they were merely there for decorative purposes. Narrower, more delicate pillars graced the front of the two wings. All in all, it was an imposing building that piqued the curiosity of everyone there. None of them could wait to explore the interior. Each one waited for the realtor, lost in their own thoughts.

 _I do hope that realtor is on time. I am missing a Dr. Who marathon on PBS. The Best of All the Doctors. An event like this does not happen every day. They are focusing on all 15 Doctors! I'm glad I'm recording it, though watching it in real time with Leonard would be far superior._

 _Sheldon, wipe that petulant look off of your face. You're not ten fucking years old anymore. We need this property and I'm not going to buy something sight unseen. Besides, we have a DVR. Let it go._

 _So, these are the two scientists the Corporation is lusting after. I don't know that I can see why. She is a plain looking thing and what's with that peevish look on her face? And her partner? This guy just looks weird, like he's missing the Second Coming or something. I want to slip this man a valium._

Suddenly, the sound of tires on gravel broke the silence as the real estate agent arrived, parking his Mercedes sedan close to the waiting party. When Richard emerged, they saw a tall, dapper man with salt and pepper hair and an engaging smile walk towards them. He came up to the group and greeted and shook hands with everyone. He had his own thoughts about each of them, but he kept them to himself. _Oh shit, they have Marcus with them. What a dildo that guy is. He was a jerk in high school and from what I've heard through the grapevine, he's still a first class jackass. What's up with Niki? She's usually got some kind of snarky grin or smile on her face, she just looks annoyed now. Hmmm…maybe it has something to do with the dork next to her. That must be the genius guy that Binary is lusting after. Let's just hope looks aren't everything, because this venture is doomed if they are._

"Niki, so good to see you again. Let's see, this must be Dr. Cooper. How do you do sir, it's an honor to meet you. Marcus, nice to see you again." He quickly explained to the couple, "Marc and I went to high school together, we go way back. He's a good attorney and an even better negotiator. You're in good hands, trust me. Now, let's see, oh yeah, here are the keys. Shall we go in?"

 _Might as well. I can't wait to get this over with. Why Richard of all people? Fucking asshat. You don't steal a guy's girl from him at prom and expect him to forget it. I never thought I'd see that smarmy face again in this lifetime._

 _I wonder if anyone has any Tylenol on them? That stupid look on Sheldon's face is starting to get to me. Give it up, honey. This is way more important than some insipid tv show. Maybe it will be awful inside and we can all go home. Maybe._

 _I wonder if it's like the TARDIS and bigger on the inside. That would be something to tell Leonard!_

What they saw as they entered the building astounded them all. As they passed through the front door they walked down a short hallway into an immense Great Room. The floor was a checkerboard of black and white marble and there were sweeping staircases on either side of the circle, situated at 90 and 270 degrees. These staircases each swept up gracefully like cresting waves to the second floor. There were several sturdy oak doors recessed into the back walls of the first floor. Niki assumed these doors led to other, smaller rooms. At each end of the Great Room, next to the stairs, there was an etched glass double door that led to a wing building. These doors could be locked from both sides, which met with both Niki and Sheldon's approval. They were all taken in by this magnificent room, when suddenly Niki called out, "Sheldon, look up!"

He did as she directed and found himself awestruck. The entire ceiling was made of a rich lapis lapzuli with generous veins of pyrite running through it. "Oh my lord" he exclaimed in wonder, "it looks exactly like a ceiling full of nebulas!" Niki had a wicked thought race through her mind, _It would be so cool to have a little 'fun' while looking up at that ceiling. Maybe a day bed in this room?_

Sheldon's mind, however, went off in another direction. _Halo nights would work most excellently under that amazing ceiling! The perfect setting._

Niki was entranced, it was perfect! "Richard" she begged, "show us the rest of the place, please!"

He turned to Niki and Sheldon and asked them, "Which floor were you thinking of using for your living quarters?"

They answered him as one, "This one."

Richard looked down at the notes in his folder. Looking up he beamed at them, "That's wonderful! See those doors? The one on the far left is the Master Suite, and it _is_ sweet. It's contains a huge bedroom with its own sitting area that leads to a covered patio. The en suite bathroom has a huge shower, double sinks, and a jetted tub, all done in a beautiful muted tan marble. Oh, for Niki, a nice vanity and dressing area right outside the bathroom. Now get this, it has not one, but two walk in closets. His and Hers". He opened the door leading to the suite. "You like?"

They all peered in and looked around. Niki headed for the bathroom to see the shower and the jetted tub while Sheldon checked out the closets.

 _Man, that shower is huge! We could sure have some fun in there. And that tub, it's just made for being a little dirty while getting clean. I like this, I like this a lot._

 _These closets are amazing. There is room here to store all of my comic books and my entire action figure collection! I'm sure Niki wouldn't mind if I used part of her closet for my clothes._ "Amazing," Sheldon said, when he finally emerged from one of the closets, "you could raise a family in this room alone. I love the closets."

Niki exited the bathroom glowing, "Well, I adore that shower and tub!"

Sheldon smiled at her comment as if reading her thoughts and then looked at Richard, "What are the other rooms like on this floor?"

Richard left the room and signaled them to follow him. He pointed at the next three doors, "Oh, down here, they're all pretty much spare bedrooms, nice, but smaller than yours, one with a full bath two with a half bath. The last door there holds a real treasure, though. That's where the library is located. The back has the same sliding glass door to the patio as the Master Suite, but on one wall is a gorgeous stone fireplace. The other two walls hold your floor to ceiling bookcases. I figured you guys might like that.

 _We could put down a fur rug in front of that fireplace and make some serious memories._

 _Amazing. This room has enough shelving to hold all of my Star Wars and Star Trek memorabilia. And all of our scientific journals as well._

Niki was awestruck as she viewed the room, "You figured right. This place is awesome. What about the upstairs? And that cupola?"

Richard checked his notes again and shrugged, "Just a series of bedrooms with half baths, nice, but fairly ordinary, but each one facing the back has a balcony. I wouldn't venture up to the cupola until the inspection is finished, I don't think I'd trust the flooring until that happens." He looked up from his notes, sounding very enthusiastic about the next sections of the home. "Now the wings are nice. Facing the back yard, the wing on your right holds a chef's kitchen, there' all granite countertops with black appliances; a formal dining room that looks out to the patio and pool, and a nice game room. Here's a nice bonus, the pool table and pinball machines come with the house. There's another cool thing about the rooms in this wing. See? The sliding glass doors in all the rooms slide into the wall and disappear if you want to make the room open to the patio. Neat,huh?"

 _Oooh, getting naughty with no wall! I'm there._

 _Perfect for laser tag with my friends!_

Niki and Sheldon took it all in, entranced. It was everything they had wanted, and much, much, more.

Sheldon broke himself from his trance and asked in a serious voice, "What about the other wing? What's over on that side?"

Richard explained to them, "That side was never really developed. It's just a long hall with empty rooms on the side facing the back yard. The front side of the hall is lined with window seats and long, tinted, windows. Great for reading or just kicking back. You can do just about anything you want to with this area. It does have a full bath, so someone could live there if you wanted to make it into a granny flat or something. This is an unincorporated area, so you're pretty much free to develop this property as you wish."

 _That could be developed for Howard. It would keep him far away if we wanted a little 'us time'. Just sayin'._

 _Yes, this would increase our privacy greatly if Howard were put here. We wouldn't have to deal with his constant complaining and idiotic jokes._

They all stared at Richard with approval. It was a fabulous property, and they hadn't even seen the back house yet!

Niki spoke for all of them when she asked, "Can we see the back house?"

The realtor nodded, "Sure. It's real nice. Two large bedrooms, one with a Master Suite identical to the one in the front house. It's got a large paneled living room with a huge open stone fireplace and recently refinished hardwood floors. There's a formal dining room with built in shelves and a curio cabinet to show off your china and things. It also has another chef's kitchen with granite countertops, and a large pantry comes with this one. Let's walk out there and I'll show you." _Let's get this over with, that idiot Marcus is giving me the creeps._

Richard led them past the pool _(skinny dips!)_ and cabana and unlocked the door to the back house. They all entered and Niki fell madly in love in an instant. It was very rustic and homey. She knew she would rather live here than in the main house with all its glitz, lovely though that was. _Now this is privacy! We could sneak out here for lunch and other activities. Plus, if someone's working late, they won't walk in on us._

 _We could do whatever we wanted back here. We could make the second bedroom into a home theater/library. It's quite a bit removed from the main building, and everyone else. This could work._

Niki studied the little home and when she finally spoke, it was only one word and it was to her partner, "Sheldon?"

He looked at her and nodded understandingly, "I know. This is where we shall live. It just beckoned to me. It's home."

Now it was Marcus' turn to address the realtor, "Okay, we like the property. Now let's get down to the nitty gritty. How much are they asking for it?" _Let me make the bastard sweat here. We have no deal unless I say so._

Richard caught Macus' facial expression and consulted his notes, "Not a whole lot, considering." _Okay Mr. I'm the Big Man Here, I'll show you who really has the upper hand._

Niki impatiently asked, "How much?"

"3.5 million." _Gotcha, dickhead._

Marcus gave a very unprofessional whistle, "That's a steal." He added, "Are the owners going to pay for the inspection and closing costs?" _Not so fast, I can still make your ass sweat._

Richard nodded and put away his folder, "As far as I know, yes." _You can't say 'no' to that, can you pretty boy?_

Marcus spoke to Richard as he surveyed the back yard with its cabana and pool, "How much do they want down?" _Not so fast, I'm gonna make you earn this friggin' commission._

Sheldon interrupted their exchange, "Excuse me, but if that is the full price and Binary is willing to put up 40 percent, I do believe between Binary, Niki, and me, we could pay the full price in cash." He looked over at Niki for her approval, "Do you agree?" _Stop playing games, children. We want to buy this property, like big people do._

Niki thought for a moment and nodded enthusiastically, "I would have no problem with that. Marcus?"

"I would have to ask the corporation, but this is a magnificent property on the market for a very fair price. I do not foresee any problems on their end." _You're lucky I'm getting a huge paycheck for closing this deal, asswipe._

Sheldon stared at the men, kicked a leaf with is foot and asked, "I have one question, Richard?"

The realtor turned from the attorney to the tall physicist, "Yes?" _What on earth does Stringbean want now? Shit!_

"Why is it priced so cheaply? Is something wrong with this property?" _Bazinga! You didn't see that one coming did you?_

Niki walked over to Sheldon and put her arm around his waist, "You read my mind, Cooper." _Good one, Sheldon! Both these guys think they're so smart. Huh, they've just met The Master._

Richard began to explain to them the details of the listing "It's been on and off the market several times in the last several months, maybe a year, without a buyer. The owners want a quick sale. The property taxes and basic upkeep are eating them alive." _Come on, Niki. Are you and the freak going to buy this place or not?_

Markus smiled at Niki and Sheldon who gave him the nod, then turned to address Richard, "Can you have the papers drawn up tonight and schedule the inspection asap?" _I'm makin' you work late while I go home to a hottie and get laid. Take that!_

"Of course. I will call all of you later this evening and let you know what they say about your offer." _God, the things I do for a buck. Well, Niki will be happy and that's good. Paul was a good friend of mine, so I'll make sure the lady gets a good deal. Marcus can go screw himself._

They all walked to their cars and headed home. Our lover's thoughts were centered on an amazing house being offered for an even more amazing price…and other assorted things.

Later that night, Niki answered her phone and heard Richard's cheerful voice telling her, _NIki,_ _if you want to come over tomorrow at lunch and meet me and Marcus we can sign the papers and, barring a bad inspection, you will have bought yourself a house in about two weeks_.

The neighbors three doors down could hear Niki's screams of joy. Sheldon later told people that the last time he had heard anything that loud was when he and Leonard had gone in person to watch the Space Shuttle land.

Sheldon decided to bring her back down to earth, so he told her, "We definitely have quite a bit going on in the next few weeks. I think it would be beneficial for our peace of mind, not to mention my eardrums, to fix our attention on the opening of Penny's play."

Nike put down her phone and started to write a list, "I almost forgot about that! Thank you, Sheldon. Yes, I have to find an outfit and talk to Bernadette about logistics, and check with Penny about what time to arrive and what kind of outfit, makeup and jewelry is appropriate. I'm going to call Penny right now! There's so much we still have to talk about and do!"

Sheldon sat back and considered what she had just said and thanked whatever Higher Power created him that he was male. He had thought that he, Leonard, and Howard would each just throw on a nice suit and make their way over to the theater. It seemed it was not so simple if you were female. He merely nodded in response and said, "Yes, I see there is a lot you have to do. Now, if you'll excuse me, I am going to visit Leonard for a bit. I do believe Penny will be over here shortly and if she has done her usual thing and Paul Revered the news to Bernadette, I am sure she will be along soon as well. I know my limits as a man; I can only handle so many female hormones flying around the room."

 **I'm getting excited for the Opening Night of Penny's play. Are you?**


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24: Overture, Curtain, Lights, This is it, the Night of Nights

 **This chapter is all about our girl Penny's opening night. From multiple perspectives.**

Penny sat in her dressing room, shaking badly from nerves. Here it was opening night and all of her friends, not to mention the producers of the play and the almost 600 people who had bought tickets, would be watching her. She had risked everything for this night. Gone was the secure pharmaceutical sales job she had detested. Here was the ultimate litmus test of her decision to leave that job. Some people had thought her insane, some had thought her courageous, others had considered it the sanest thing she had ever done. Whatever anyone thought, it still remained up to her to make this night a success.

She wanted so badly for Leonard to be proud of her! No matter how lighthearted she talked about her marriage or how many jokes she made about their relationship, she loved her husband deeply and admired him as well. He was so smart and had a job that commanded people's respect. Experimental physicist had so much more social value tied to it than 'struggling actress', 'sales rep', or 'waitress'. After more than ten years of marriage she still couldn't wrap her head around why such an amazing man had picked her to be his wife. True, he wasn't exactly 'cool'. He ran with a nerdy crowd, namely other nerdy scientist guys, and enjoyed things like Star Wars movies, comic books, and playing Klingon Boggle, but she knew full well she wasn't so perfect, either. No matter what, she had always thought of Leonard and his posse (did nerds even have posses?) as the smartest guys she had ever met, and she never quite felt like she measured up to them.

And then there were the girlfriends she had made from knowing Leonard. There had been Amy. Uber nerdy, socially awkward, strange, but wonderful and loyal, Amy. That girl had kinda crept up on her and before she knew it, Amy and her were what the girl had liked to call 'besties'. But Amy had been smart enough to know that fact way before she had. Why not? The girl had been a brilliant neurobiologist who had been married to the smartest guy she had ever met, Sheldon Cooper. Some days she missed Amy's sweetness so much it almost hurt. She felt that somehow, somewhere, Amy was watching tonight and cheering her on.

Next was Bernadette Wolowitz, who was probably her best friend in the world. So smart, so cute, so happily married to Howard. Sometimes she thought Bernie had the perfect life. She had a great job. Just saying the word, 'microbiologist' made people think highly of you, which was really amazing when you were 4'10" with a voice like Minnie Mouse on helium. Bernie also had a doting husband in Howard. That man would give his life for her, though he would die a million deaths before he would admit it. But they all knew it. Every, single, one in their group knew it. Bernie and Howard also had the cutest kid imaginable. Everyone fell in love with pretty little Kelly Wolowitz the moment they met her. Tiny, like her mother, with her father's wicked sense of humor, she was a crowd pleaser, as well as always sitting at the top of her class in school. Yes, Bernie Wolowitz had it all.

Then there was her newest friend who was fast becoming like a sister to her. Nikita Horner. Niki was the most intelligent woman she had ever met, and the funniest. Niki's chief charm was that she could make fun out of nothing at all. She wore an almost constant smirk on her face and had a sharp, biting, wit that never failed to astound people. No one ever saw it coming. Niki was tall, thin, and almost always wore her shoulder length hair tied back severely in a ponytail. She appeared very prim and proper at first meeting, but then lord help you, the girl could get as bawdy as they came! She was also one of the kindest people she knew. Niki cared for everyone with a warmth she hid well behind her sarcastic, snarky, exterior. In reality, Niki's heart was as big as the universe she was always studying with her partner and lover, Sheldon, who had once upon a time been married to Amy. Sheldon was not only Niki's lover and the smartest man she had ever met; he was also Leonard's best friend and had been for many years. Niki was so good with people, unlike Sheldon and, though he would never cop to it, he absolutely adored and depended on her. Again, like Bernie, Niki seemed to have it all.

Where did she fit in with this group? She wasn't a brilliant, intelligent scientist like the rest of her friends; she was just plain old Penny Hofstadter. Sure, she had some looks, but at the end of the day, what was that worth? Everyone took the other girls very seriously, while people treated her like she hadn't a brain in her head. But she did have brains and she did have talent and tonight was her night to prove to everyone that she, Penny Hofstadter, was just as worthy of respect as everyone else. This was her night to shine. It also felt like her night to throw up, but she thought it best not to concentrate on that right now.

Leonard checked his watch for about the thousandth time. The play would begin in about fifteen minutes, fifteen long, horrid, torturous, minutes. If his wife was nervous backstage, he was a basket case in the front row. He knew how much this night meant to her and he would have moved heaven and earth if he could have had any control over it. But he didn't. All he could do was sit here, up close, and watch the wife he adored either hit a home run or fall flat on her face. Penny had always dreamed of becoming an actress since she was a small girl in Omaha. When he met her she was working as a waitress while she pursued her dream of becoming a famous and respected actress. But the years had gone by and stardom had eluded her. So, she took a job as a pharmaceutical sales rep, married him, and decided to settle down. That all sounded good on paper, but a part of Penny had died when she gave up acting. As the years went by, she had slowly lost her shine and her bounce. She started to drink more than was good for her and she became somewhat distant to everyone, himself included. In desperation he had convinced her to give acting another try, at least part time. He had encouraged her to go to an open audition being held for an acting position at the Playhouse. Well, Penny had charmed and impressed them, which didn't surprise him one iota but seemed to amaze her. They had given her a good part in their next production and here he was, residing in Hell. Thank goodness he was sitting with his friends. He didn't think he could survive this on his own. He looked to his right, at…

the Wolowitzes. Howard was an aeronautics engineer who had been one of his closest friends for over fifteen years and after Howard had met and married Bernadette, she had become one as well. They were one of the happiest couples he knew. Bernie was tiny, smart, pretty, and wore the pants in the family, which seemed to bother Howard not at all. She was a successful microbiologist, a fantastic mother to a great kid, and a loving and caring wife to his friend. It never ceased to amaze him how Howard had been transformed into one of the most devoted husbands and fathers he had ever known. It forever amused him how funny it was that life could change you in so many ways you never saw coming. Before meeting his wife, Howard could have best been described by the words, 'creepy lech'. Now, he was a complete family man and happy to be just that. Leonard sometimes envied the Wolowitz's happiness and contentment with their life. Everything seemed so perfect in their little world. He turned to his left for a short bit and observed his best friend…

Sheldon Cooper, and his brainy girlfriend, Niki. Sheldon and Niki were research partners at the university studying the varying affects of black holes on dark matter. They were the two most intelligent people he knew, and also the most confusing. Leonard looked over and studied them a little longer. Sheldon looked like nothing more than the textbook nerd, even dressed up as he was tonight. He and his girlfriend were both tall and thin, but that is where their resemblance ended. Sheldon always looked slightly uncomfortable in most social situations while Niki seemed to be in her element on those occasions. They both looked geeky at work, but Niki seemed to clean up especially well. Outside of her unusual eyes, most men would not have given plain, simple, Niki Horner a second look if they saw her walking down the street, but on nights like tonight, she was magically transformed into a gorgeous woman. She had on a gray, form fitting dress with a short black jacket. Her hair was in curls piled on top of her head and she was made up beautifully. He had never realized before tonight how attractive his buddy's girlfriend truly was. Sheldon, on the other hand, still looked like Sheldon, only more dressed up. Sheldon reminded him of a small child being forced to dress up for a birthday party or for church. These two were so much alike and yet, so very different. In spite of that, they were a devoted couple who would more than likely end up getting married one of these days. Their life seemed simple and ordered with no apparent twists or turns, and sometimes he was a little jealous of that.

Sheldon wished he could loosen his tie. He hated wearing them, even though they were de rigueur with this suit. He hadn't wanted to embarrass Penny on her big night that was for sure, so here he was, hoping against hope he was not strangled by his own haberdashery. Penny had been his friend for almost as long as Leonard and though they had their fair share of disagreements, he was closer to her than he was to most people, maybe even Leonard. Penny was always someone he could talk to about personal things. She came right out with the fact that she found him weird, but she also never hid the fact that she loved him like a brother. He felt honored that both Penny and Leonard had insisted that he and Niki be here tonight. For comfort, he gripped the hand of Niki, the woman who had magically entered his life and had quickly become both his best friend and lover. She had the biggest heart he had ever known, and the sharpest tongue. A brilliant mind, a svelte body, and a quick wit were her most obvious attributes, but he was also drawn to her intense sensuality and strong sense of compassion even more. They had just bought a property together and he was concerned about the building inspection tomorrow. He also wondered where he would be without his Niki. Oh, of course, he would be sitting here by himself. Not a good thought, so he let it go and concentrated on the curtain that was stubbornly refusing to rise. He decided that was never going to happen and decided to refocus his concentration on…

Niki kept fidgeting with her program. She didn't know how long she could keep her composure. Curtain time was in about ten minutes, but right now, that seemed like an eon. She wanted the play to begin so she would be able get her mind off of other things. She was being tortured by thoughts of closing costs, property taxes, and leaving the university. Another thing, she was worried for Penny. Why was she so nervous about Penny and this play? Well, for one, Penny was fast becoming her best girlfriend. Their men were best friends and both of them, along with Bernadette Wolowitz, had gotten into the habit of spending much of their free time together. That was hard for Bernie with her daughter, but Howard and her both had little problem watching their adorable daughter while the other was out doing whatever. Yeah, Bernie had married a gem in Howard. So, Penny and Bernie were now her best friends and that was why she was sitting here on the edge of her seat in a crowded theater. She wanted this to be a magnificent triumph for the lady who was always there for everyone else. Penny deserved the applause for once and she was hoping and praying the tonight would be that night when Penny took her rightful place in the spotlight. She wished she could remain calm and cool like…

Bernadette felt ill at ease. She knew full well how much tonight meant to Penny and the weight of that kept her from feeling totally comfortable, even in her plush, overstuffed seat. For too long, Penny had worked at a job that had produced so little fulfillment for her. Money was fine, but you needed more. Take her, for instance. Everyone thought that her life was so great, but little did they know that it was her job and her daughter that were keeping her going. She loved Howie, she really did, but since becoming parents he had become so devoted to his father role that he had mostly forgotten the she, his wife, needed attention at times, also. Bernie thought hard and could barely remember the last time they had made love. Maybe three months ago? Too long, but Howard was always out with the boys or playing with Kelly so much he seemed to forget she was there. She loved her daughter very much, but she sometimes felt as if she were in competition with her for Howard's attention. Not good. But tonight was Penny's night, so she decided to focus her attention on Penny and this play. She hoped it was a triumph for her friend. No one deserved the good stuff more than Penny Hofstadter. Guilt enveloped her like a blanket as her mind wandered from Penny and once again concentrated on…

Howard stared at the curtain, almost willing it to rise. He never liked leaving Kelly without one of them watching her. Bernie's parents were great, but he knew parents were the best caretakers for a child. Kelly was an amazing girl and he didn't want to miss even one minute of her growing up if he didn't have to. Soon enough, Kelly would be grown up and leaving their home. He wanted to enjoy her while she was there. Bernie complained they were never alone anymore, but hadn't they just spent a weekend at the beach with the Hofstadter's, what, a few months ago? Oh well, enough about that, he was excited for Penny. As long has he'd known her she had dreamed of becoming an actress and here she was, a headliner in a play in a major American theater. He truly was happy for her, but why couldn't they have brought Kelly? Penny had said something about limited comped tickets for each principal in the play, but they could have paid extra to bring their daughter along. Bernie had mentioned something about having a romantic night out, but, hello, all their friends were surrounding them! How was that going to work? He would never understand women. Oh well, the play was about to start and it would be all over soon and they could go home. To pass the time, he looked to his right at his best friend…

Raj Koothrapalli sighed and looked down at his shoes. He was totally bored. He loved Penny, but he was here solo. His sometime girlfriend Emily had refused to come if Niki was going to be here. He had reassured her that they wouldn't be sitting anywhere near Sheldon and Niki, but she had still refused to come. So, he was stuck here, all by his lonesome, looking at all the happy couples and wondering what the hell it took to keep a good woman by your side. Damn, even Sheldon Cooper had managed to have a date for this thing! He liked Sheldon and considered him a good friend, but still…Sheldon had a date and he didn't. Raj resigned himself to his situation and sank even deeper into his depression.

"Two minutes, Penny!" The stage manager reminded her. Like she needed any reminding. She took a deep breath, checked her makeup, walked out of her dressing room, and waited in the wings for her cue. She saw the narrator approach the stage and took her place at the table for the opening scene. Her heart was in her throat, but something started coming over her, something that had been inside her since she had been able to remember. She was an actress, and she was on the stage. She was home. She relaxed, took a deep breath, smiled to herself, and waited for the curtain to rise.

Leonard saw the curtain rise, his pulse quickened and he said a quick prayer for his wife's success. It was both exhilarating and painful to love someone this much, but that was his marriage to Penny and he wouldn't exchange it for anyone else's. His wife was an actress and she was in a play tonight. He was her husband and he was here to support her. That seemed right, somehow. He began to relax and watch the play. He looked over quickly to catch the reaction of…

Sheldon watched the curtain rise with no exterior emotion. It felt like he had been here before, doing this very same thing, though he knew he hadn't. He saw Penny on the stage and that seemed familiar, also. It almost seemed as if he was in a dream. He knew Penny would do well. This is what she was born to do. People always do well when they are doing what they were meant to do. Look at him. The theater was warm and nothing seemed real to him. His tie was too tight and he was having trouble concentrating. He felt a gentle squeeze of his hand and was brought back to reality. He turned to smile gratefully at…

Niki stared up with wonder at the rising curtain. She couldn't wait to actually see her friend up there, shining like the star that she already was. She looked up and down the row and saw Leonard, Raj, Howard, Bernie, and next to her, Sheldon, all there to cheer on their friend, no matter what else they had going on in their lives. Her excitement peaked and she reached for Sheldon's hand. It was so nice to have him next to her, just like Howard was next to…

Bernadette forgot her own troubles as the curtain went up. She couldn't wait to hear Penny act out the part as she had done in front of her and Niki many times in the last few weeks. The warmth of the theater, the size of the audience, the rich color of the rising curtain, yes, Penny was about to do what she had always dreamed of doing. She was going to act in a famous play in front of a large, paying, crowd. Penny was about to become a star. Bernie looked over with shining eyes at…

Howard forgot his worries about his daughter as he heard Penny begin to speak. Damn, she was really doing this! The girl had finally made her dream come true. No, it wasn't going into space or solving the mysteries of the universe or discovering how to wipe out a deadly virus, but it was amazing just the same. Penny was doing what she had always dreamed of doing, and there was a certain magic in that, just as there was in love. He suddenly felt very sorry for…

Raj looked up as the curtain ascended and was brought out of his funk completely. His friend, Penny, was one of the stars in this play and all of the people here had come to see her act. He knew, deep in his heart, that Penny was never meant to be a sales rep, she was meant to do what she was doing right here. Penny, the stage, the other actors, yes, it was all perfect. This was one of those moments when the planets and the stars all aligned perfectly. Maybe for more of them than just Penny.

The curtain came down to thunderous applause. As the noise and the curtain calls began to abate, Leonard turned his friends and said, "She was really good, wasn't she?"

Sheldon looked at his friend and answered him very seriously, "No, Leonard, she was magnificent."

Bernadette turned towards Leonard and shook her head in amazement, "Penny stole the show. I can't believe it was the same person."

Niki couldn't keep the pride and wonder out of her voice as she spoke, "It wasn't. She became Amanda, she didn't just spout the lines. As Sheldon so correctly put it, she was magnificent."

Howard shook his friend's hand in congratulations, "Well, Leonard, there's no going back now. You're married to a star."

Leonard's eyes teared up, "You aren't going to hear any complaints from me. I'm just so damn happy for her, and so proud I could burst."

Raj smiled at Leonard and began to gather up his belongings, "Let's go backstage and congratulate her, that is, if we can even get near her.

Backstage was pure bedlam. The local media surrounded Penny, deluging her with questions. She peered over the tops of their heads, recognized her husband and friends and gave them the 'just a minute' look. Pasadena's newest star fielded a few more questions and then told the press, "you'll have to excuse me, but some VIPs are over there waiting for me." She walked over to her husband and melted into his arms. "Oh, Leonard, it was more than I ever imagined it could be!"

He held her very tightly, "You made me so damn proud, I don't know what to say. "

Penny looked at her husband and smiled happily, "How about 'I love you'?"

Leonard caressed his wife with his eyes, "That's nothing new; I've always loved you from the very first moment I saw you."

She wiped a tear from his cheek and smiled, "Yeah, I know, but it never gets old hearing you say it."

Bernadette walked up to the happy couple and gently pulled Penny away from Leonard to give her a hug of her own, "Penny, you were amazing!"

Niki chimed in, "Astounding!"

Sheldon grinned at his friend fondly, "As I told Leonard, you were magnificent."

Howard praised her, "I knew you had it in you all the time."

"You were the best thing in the whole show!" Added Raj proudly.

Penny eyes singled out everyone one of her friends and then became misty, "I couldn't have done it without all of you behind me. I am so lucky. I have a fantastic husband and the best group of friends anyone could ever ask for!"

A photographer pushed Leonard out of the way in an attempt to get a photo of Penny by herself.

Penny turned on him viciously, "Wait a minute, buster. That's my husband you just shoved. I don't go for that."

The young man addressed her impatiently, "Look, I'm supposed to get a picture of you alone, for the newspaper and web page. These people," he waved his hand to include Leonard and all of Penny's friends, "aren't a part of this."

Penny crossed her arms on her chest and took a stand, "You can take all the pictures you want, but my husband and friends are to be included tonight. They're a bigger part of this than you know."

The man kept shaking his head, "My boss said you, only you."

Penny kept her arms crossed and impaled him with her eyes, "And I said not without my husband and friends. Now, take a picture of all of us, or put your damn camera away." She continued to stare him down coldly. "Have I made myself clear?"

The photographer gave a long sigh and addressed no one in particular, "They have a little success and it goes straight to their heads."

They all turned and looked at the man angrily and Sheldon stepped forward to address him, "This has _not_ gone to Penny's head. Just the opposite, in fact. You want her to forget her husband and her friends tonight and she is not having any part of that. I do believe that shows a level headedness that few others would demonstrate in a similar situation."

The photographer took a menacing step toward Sheldon, "Look Geekmeister, you and your friends back off, or I'll have security remove you."

Penny placed herself between the large man and Sheldon, "Go ahead, try it. You remove them and I'm outta here!"

Out of nowhere, a handsome man in an expensive looking suit came up to Penny and asked her, "Is that man," pointing at the cameraman," bothering you?"

"A little. He won't allow me to have my husband and friends in any of the pictures with me. I love all of them and they interrupted their busy lives to come and support me tonight. NO ONE is going to make them leave, no one. Kick me out with them if you want, but don't ever try to separate me from my people, _ever_."

The man frowned at the cameraman and then turned to Penny, "I understand perfectly, Ms. Hofstadter. Do want me to escort the man out?"

She shook her head in response to his question, "No, of course not. Just tell him and his bosses that any pictures of me have to include all of them." She pointed at Leonard and her friends.

He gave a curt nod and spoke to the man with the camera, "So be it. Carl, I'll clear this with your editor. Just take the pictures as the lady requested."

Penny's Posse, as they came to be known around Pasadena, spent the next half an hour posing with Penny for the photographer and having the time of their lives.

 **Penny did good, but that's not the end of the story. There's much more to come!**


	25. Chapter 25

Chaper 25: Prom Prep

 **Flashback to one week before Penny's Opening Night. It was easy for our ladies to find the right man. The right dress? Different story.**

Penny, Niki, and Bernadette were out stalking the mall for just the right dress to wear to the much anticipated prom. They searched through the racks of several stores and each woman had yet to find the dress she felt was 'the one'. The mall was not being their friend. Every dress they looked at either screamed 'Clearasil' or 'Lonely, Mister'?"

It was in Nordstrom where Penny held up her hand and halted the ladies' progress to yet another rack. "Hey, let's stop for a moment and focus on what kind of dress each of us wants and why."

Niki nodded and replied, "Okay, you go first."

"In my dreams, I want a dress that makes me look 25 again. In reality, I've lost so much weight for this darn play I want something that hides the fact that I'm a walking beanpole, sorry Niki, and gives me the illusion of curves. Okay, who's next?"

Niki ignored Penny's reference to a beanpole and began to speak, "Well, I would love to find something that doesn't scream 'middle aged nerdy physicist trying to look like a teenager'. How's that?"

Penny tried to help, "Well, there's that dress you bought a couple days ago, that was really nice."

Niki nixed that idea, "Yeah, but that is intended for your opening night. It says, 'Sophisticated Lady'. Today I'm looking for something that screams, 'I can be had, but only after you salivate'. Have any of you guys seen something like that today?" They all sadly shook their heads.

Bernie broke the silence, "I want something that makes me look like J Lo at her peak." Both Penny and Niki turned and stared at her in disbelief.

Niki finally regained the power of speech, "Bernie, you're short, curvy, and blonde. There's not a dress in this world that will help you pull off the vintage J Lo look."

"I know, but I can dream, can't I?"

Penny chuckled at Bernie's words and then continued "Okay, let's get real here. I want curves, Niki wants sex-on-a-stick, and Bernie, what do you really want?"

The small woman sighed, "Something that doesn't scream, 'Soccer Mom' and doesn't come from the Junior Department."

Penny nodded to her friend, "Got it. Now that we know what we're looking for we're a lot closer to finding it."

"Guys, I have an idea. What is your favorite color to wear?" Bernie asked in her cutest voice.

Penny put back the dress she was looking at and answered her friend, "Oh that would have to be red or black. Definitely red or black." She turned to Niki who was browsing the next rack over, "Hey, Nik, what about you? What colors do you like to wear the most?"

She looked up, "Hmmm…if I had to choose it would be either green or red. What are your favorites, Bernie, seeing as how you started it?"

Bernie thought a moment and chirped, "Red or blue. Yeah, either one of those."

A light bulb went off in Niki's head, "Hey, I've got an idea. Why don't we all wear the same color? Everyone said they like red, let's all wear a red dress."

Bernie squealed in delight, "That would be so cute!"

Penny added to the suggestion, "Only in completely different styles. That would make it interesting."

Bernie smiled at Penny, "Okay, but where would be a good place to shop for three completely different red dresses?"

Niki volunteered, "I know the cutest little boutique right off of Colorado. I used to shop there all the time when I was married. It's perfect for what we want. Plus, it's near all kinds of fantastic restaurants where we can grab a bite to eat when we're done. That sounds so much better than the botulism buffets they serve here at the mall."

"I'm sold, girlfriend. Lead the way!" Penny laughed as she followed Niki and Bernie through the front of the store and out of the mall.

Niki drove them to a quaint little shop on a quiet side street. The proprietor intently studied them individually after they had presented their request then spoke, "I think I have something for each of you that would suit your individual style, shape, and coloring. Follow me to the back room. He then presented them each with a mysterious object on a hanger wrapped in opaque plastic. He told them, "Each of these dresses will be in the shade of red and the style I have thought best suited each of you."

The man motioned to Bernadette and led her to a dressing room in the far back of the store. He told her, "Take your time and if you need any help, one of our dressers can aide you." When she finally emerged from the small cubicle, both of her friends gasped in delight. Bernadette looked like anything but a soccer mom in a form fitting, one shouldered, bright red, pleather sheath with a sweetheart neckline, and a cutout midriff that exposed her tiny, tiny, waist and amazing abs. The dress ended somewhere above her knees, which only added to the blonde bombshell affect.

"Oh my god, where did our middle aged room mother go?" Penny asked. "Bernie, you look amazing!"

Niki's eyes got large and she steadied herself on the back of a chair, "Girl, that dress screams, 'I still got it'. And you still do, of course. Wow!"

The man beckoned to Niki next, "I knew the gown I wanted for you, Ms. Horner, the moment you walked in. Here," he took the dress from her and hung it in another small room next to the one used by Bernadette. "Please try this little number on and let my know what you think". Niki eagerly enter the room and closed the door behind her.

She re entered the main room wearing a floor length, sleeveless gown of a wine red color which had lace flowers dancing merrily across its sheer bodice. The dress was slit up to her thigh which, as she had hoped, made her look very sexy, indeed.

Penny gasped, "Sweetie, you got your wish. That thing screams 'Take me'!"

Bernie chimed in, "I don't know if Sheldon will be able to hold his mud after seeing you in that!"

Niki grinned in pleasure at her friend's comments and looked over at Penny. "Your turn, sweetheart."

Penny, like the others, took her mystery garment into the dressing room and emerged a goddess. Her gown was a form fitting, floor length halter dress, made of a dark red, luxurious satin. It, like Niki's, was slit on the side and it sported a sexy pair of elbow length black gloves as an accessory.

Niki couldn't believe her eyes, "Girl, I've always thought you were beautiful, but man, there are no words. Unbelievable."

Bernie just kept shaking her head in wonder, and then finally spoke, "That thing puts all the right curves in all the right places. Muy caliente!"

Penny looked at herself in the mirror and saw that her friends were right; she did look hot in this dress, classy, but hot. She nodded to the owner of the shop, "I'll take it!"

Bernie piped up, "Me, too! I love my dress!"

The women returned to the dressing rooms, removed their gowns and put their street clothes back on. They then regrouped by the cashier, each very much pleased with herself.

Niki smiled like the cat that had swallowed the canary as she pulled out her wallet, "I told you this place would have exactly what we were looking for. Henri, put this on my card, and my friends' purchases, also." Both Penny and Bernie began to protest but Niki put up a hand and stopped them, "There's no use arguing. My treat. Friends don't let friends dress tacky at prom."

They took their dresses home and stored them in their closets. Now, all they had left was to plan the rest of the prom.

The next night all the friends were gathered at Leonard and Penny's for Prom Planning. Penny started the proceedings by going over the itinerary she had printed out and attached to a utilitarian clipboard.

"Okay, guys. Here goes. We've gotten permission to use the roof until midnight. I've talked to the Playhouse and we only have a matinee that Saturday, there are some acrobats from China making a one night only performance that evening, so it's cool, I have the night off. The matinee ends at six, so I should be ready to go by 7:30 or 8. Like always, the guys have the catering covered, so that's done. What did you tell me, Leonard? Oh yeah, we're having a salad, pasta, and sushi bar. Something there for everyone. Oh, a desert bar, too! Yummy!" She turned and winked at Niki, "I'm in charge of the punch, I won't tell you until prom is over whether it was spiked or not." She looked at Raj seated on the couch, "You've offered to dj, right?" He nodded in affirmation, "You know you're free to bring Emily if you want. We'll do our best to keep her in line."

"Thanks, Penny, but I'd rather leave her home. I'm actually looking forward to being the dj, I'll have time for Em, later."

"Fine with me. Now, us ladies have already purchased our dresses, have you guys rented your tuxes yet?" They all nodded. "Good. Now comes the fun part. We've cleared part of the roof for a dance floor, so there will be music," she nodded to Raj, "and dancing. But…Raj won't pick the music, we will. You see in front of you a white index card with five lines on it. For the men, the top line is for a song all you guys want to dedicate to the ladies, meaning us." She pointed to herself, Bernie, and Niki. "It will be a collective effort on your part. The next line is for each fella to list a song he wants to dedicate to his own lady. Got that?" Again, they nodded. "The next two lines are just for love songs you want to have Raj play. One rule, they all have to be oldies, songs over ten years old. Got that?" More nods. "Any questions?" Sheldon raised his hand. "I could have guessed. Okay Sheldon, what is it?"

"I find this forcing us to select songs ridiculous. I refuse to…" his voice trailed off and a smile appeared on his face. "Forget I said anything, Penny. No questions."

Penny smiled fondly at her eccentric friend, "Just when I think I have you figured out, you throw me a curveball. Oh well, it keeps life interesting. Now, for the ladies, more or less the same thing. The first line is for a collective song for the guys. The next line, a song dedicated to just your main squeeze. The next two lines, songs you want Raj to play. Got it?" Niki's hand shot up. "Yeah, Nik? What is it?"

"Say Raj is playing Howard's song for Bernie, can everyone dance, or just them?"

"When Raj plays any of the fella's dedication to their lady, those two are the only ones allowed on the dance floor. The same when a lady's dedication to her prince charming is playing. Any other time, everyone can be out there. Are we all clear on that?" Everyone nodded.

Penny looked down at her clipboard, "Okay, on to the guest list. There's all of us and Leonard, are your dad and Mary going to be back from their cruise in time to come?"

'Oh yeah. They said to save them a seat. And a special dance. I think Alfred has something special planned for her."

Awww, that's so sweet!" Penny cooed. "Us ladies do love us some special plans. Anyway, Stuart is coming and, get this, he's bringing a date!"

Everybody was shocked, "Stuart has managed to procure a date?" Sheldon asked in surprise.

"Hey, if you can get one, anyone can." joked Howard.

"Howie, stop." Bernadette warned her husband. "This is supposed to be a friendly get together for adults, not a one upmanship exercise."

Howard tried his best to diffuse his comment, "I was just having a little fun."

Sheldon refused to let it go, "I don't see why you are so surprised I have a date, Howard, I haven't lived with my mother since I was 14. How old were you the first time, besides college, you lived away from your mother? Oh, that's right. It was on the Space Station."

Howard fired back, "At least I got laid for the first time before the age of 35."

"Well, Howard, at least my first time wasn't with a third degree blood relative."

Howard was prepared to respond to Sheldon's taunt with another cutting retort when Niki got up and placed herself between the two men, "That will be enough, Sheldon. We're all friends here, if you and Howard don't fuck it up, that is."

He stared at his girlfriend with disapproval, "That's some pretty strong language there, little lady."

"Sometimes that's what the damn situation calls for, Sheldon. Am I right, Bernie?"

Bernadette grabbed her husband by the arm and led him back to his chair, "Totally. Shut your pie hole, Howie. Enough's enough."

Both Howard and Sheldon were shocked into silence. Sheldon finally spoke, "Might as well call this one the Potty Mouth Prom."

Penny put down her clipboard and stared sternly at both men, "Or Romper Room Revisited. Take your pick. Now, back to Stuart, he met a nice lady at the comic book store and he's been seeing her for about a month now."

Curiosity got the better of Bernadette and she began to pepper Penny with questions, "What's she like? What made her go for Stuart? How old is she?"

Niki joined in, her curiosity had also been piqued, "What's her name? Does she have a copy of the dress code? Will they be picking songs, too?"

"Okay, guys. One question at a time. I've only met her once, but she seems really sweet and shy. Why does any woman go for a guy? She thought he was cute and nice, maybe even a little sexy. You guys can stop that at anytime," she commanded, as the men in the room trumpeted their disbelief by loud snickers. "I don't know her age, but she looked pretty close in age to the rest of us, somewhere around 40. Yes, I sent her a copy of the dress code, this is just for us ladies, guys, don't get all wound up over it. And no, they don't want to choose any songs, they told me whatever we pick will be fine. Niki, her name is Georgia. I think you guys will all like her, I did."

Niki grinned broadly at Penny, her enthusiasm for the event readily apparent "Okay, I can't wait to meet her. Stuart is a really nice guy and I hope they have fun at our little soiree."

Suddenly, Penny's phone rang the theme from Star Wars, which Leonard had secretively downloaded to her phone. Hearing the all too familiar notes, Penny threw a quick frown to her husband and took the call.

 _Hello. Oh hi! Yeah, it's been awhile. What? Uh huh, it's two weeks from this Saturday. Oh, somewhere around 8, but you can make an appearance any time after that. Now, are you bringing a date or going solo? Okay, well, when you know give me a call. Talk to ya later, bye!_

Penny's face held a devilish smile as she announced, "Guys, you'll never guess who's going to be joining us at the prom!"

 **Just who is this secret prom attendee? What music will everyone choose for their sweetie? Guess you have to read on to find out.**


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26: A Prom to Remember

 **Prom Part One.**

Bernie squeaked, "Okay, I'll bite. Who's our mystery guest going to be?"

Penny smiled mischievously at Sheldon, "Does the name Barry Kripke ring a bell?"

Sheldon's eyes flew open and he shouted, "Oh dear lord, NO!"

Niki was surprised by his reaction, so she asked the group, "Who's Barry Kripke?"

Penny answered her as she put her clipboard away, "He's Sheldon's Emily Sweeney. Barry's been on sabbatical for a year, but now he's back and wants to come to our prom."

Sheldon stood up and demanded angrily, "Who on earth told Kripke about our plans? The man is detestable!"

Leonard looked extremely guilty as he admitted in a small voice, "It was me. I saw him on campus the other day and told him about the prom. I never thought he'd want to come. I'm sorry, Sheldon."

Niki rose to join her lover and said, "Hey, I've never met the man, but if Leonard told him about the prom, he's got every right to attend."

Sheldon move away from Niki and looked at her with a petulant face, "And just how would you react, Miss Smarty Pants, if Emily Sweeney showed up?"

Niki took Sheldon's hands in hers, "I would keep my distance and retain my composure."

Bernie voiced her doubts, "Uh, I haven't seen you do that around her. I remember a real hard slap and a BITCH being thrown her way."

Niki turned to Raj as she defended herself, "That was at someone's house in a private setting; I will apologize once more for that, Raj. Anyway, she engaged me first, remember? I think now that I know her better; I would just avoid her and concentrate on enjoying the evening."

Sheldon whined, more to himself than anyone else, "Well, I will find that extremely difficult to do with Barry. He will purposefully set me up for something."

Leonard clapped him on the shoulder, "Look, buddy, I invited him so I will make sure I run an airtight interference for you that night. Okay?"

Sheldon sighed, "If you feel you must, Leonard. I would prefer he not come at all."

Penny put her foot down in a kindly manner, "Unfortunately, it's too late for that now. Look, sweetie, between me, Leonard, and Niki, we promise he won't get near you, okay?"

Niki spoke to the group as a whole, "I'm a little curious. What's this guy like?"

Leonard eyes never left his friend as he answered her, "Well, as far as I know, right now he's a focusing on string theory, but he used to work on plasma research."

Niki shook her head in frustration, "I didn't ask what he was researching; I asked what he was like."

Leonard turned from Sheldon to Niki and explained, "He has an amazing knack for teasing people and pulling practical jokes. Plus, he has rhotacism."

Vewy, vewy, badwy, too. Howard joked.

Niki smirked at Bernadette's husband, "Oh, I see. He's like Howard, but with a speech impediment. I think we can handle that."

Sheldon grinned broadly at his lady and pulled her close while Howard glared at them both.

Penny ignored Howard, brightened and declared, "Okay, everyone. I think we've covered everything. Let's get ready to party!"

Niki and Bernie were up on the roof Saturday morning decorating it for the prom to be held later that evening. They were busy inflating helium balloons and hanging festive bunting when Niki suddenly asked Bernadette, "I'm kinda new to the dynamic between all of you, but I have to ask, what is it between Sheldon and Howard? I thought they were friends."

"Well, it's more kind of a habit they've both gotten into that's a little unhealthy, but keeps going. Sort of like my chocolate addiction. From what I've heard, it all started when Howie first met Sheldon, he called him a cross between Pee Wee Herman and C-3PO. He shortened that to C-3P-Wee Herman. For some reason, Sheldon has never forgotten that."

Niki smiled wryly and replied, "I see. So Sheldon countered with the assaults on Howard's education and career?"

'Yeah, they do it more in jest right now, but if you let it go long enough, they sometimes get serious about it again. You made a good move the other night in stopping it. I know they're really friends, but when they start in on each other, well, it makes me a little uncomfortable. Like when I get a pap smear."

Niki gave her tiny friend an uncomfortable look, "I don't know how to respond to that."

"Neither do I. I just interrupt them when they really get going."

Niki went back to inflating balloons, "No, I meant…never mind." Niki thought a moment, then brightened and started the conversation on another track. "You know, Bernie, when we first met, we talked about getting together without Penny, to get to know each other better. Penny lives next door to me, so I have plenty chances to talk to her by herself, but you live way up there in Altadena. It makes it sort of hard to just drop in, you know?"

"You're talking like I live at the North Pole; I just live fifteen minutes away! But yeah, I know what you mean. I have Howie, Kelly, and my job. My time is pretty much taken up with all of that. But here we are, so let's talk. What do you wanna know?"

"Okay, for starters, how did you meet Howard?"

Bernie began going back in time with her thoughts as she put down the balloon in her hand, "Penny set us up on a blind date as a favor to Leonard. It seems the two guys had some sort of agreement that whoever found a girlfriend first would set the other one up with one of his lady's friends. Penny and I worked together at The Cheesecake Factory at the time and were sorta friends, so I was the Chosen One. Anyway, I met him, we bonded over complaining about our mothers, and the rest is history. Here we are fifteen years later married and with a kid."

Niki smiled at her and winked, "You guys owe Penny and Leonard big time."

Bernie cocked her head in confusion, "How's that?"

"Well, you now have a great marriage with a wonderful guy and a fantastic daughter. If it hadn't been for Leonard and Penny agreeing to set you guys up, you wouldn't have Howard or Kelly."

Bernie looked a bit sadly at Niki, "Can I tell you something? You have to promise not to breathe a word to either Howard or Sheldon."

Niki made the motion of crossing her heart, "I promise. What is it?"

"It hasn't always been easy being with Howard. Remember, when I met him he had lived with his mother his entire life except for his college years. He was a huge momma's boy. Cute, sexy as hell, but still an overgrown child."

Niki let the cute and sexy comment go and pleaded with Bernie, "Please continue. I didn't know any of this. Sheldon doesn't talk about Howard much. It seems he's closer to Leonard and Raj."

"Yeah, you're right on that one. Howie and Sheldon are friends, but not close friends. They're both the outliers of the group, if you know what I mean. They're both closer to Raj and Leonard than they are to each other. Anyway, when I had Kelly, Howard really stepped up to the plate and matured, but that wasn't so good, either."

Niki didn't get it so she asked Bernie, "Why is that?"

Bernie looked around to make sure they were alone and then continued, "His main focus became Kelly. I always felt I came in second best with Howie to our own daughter. But I never complained. How many women would love to have their husband become Super Dad? Most, I guess. But he never seemed to notice me as much after we had Kelly. Sex was kinda impersonal, more like, as Sheldon would put it, 'coitus' than making love. But all that changed after he saw Penny in her play."

Niki was becoming increasingly curious, "How did it change? And why?"

"Well, he started making more time for just the two of us. We now go out together sometimes and leave Kelly with my folks; he never used to like doing that. He also pays a lot more attention to me in the bedroom, if you know what I mean. My Howie went from a dud to a stud. I'm not complaining anymore! Why this all happened? I don't really know, but I say you never look a gift horse in the mouth. Not that Howie's a horse or anything…" she giggled and winked at Niki.

Once again, Niki did not know how to respond, but she smiled and looked at Bernie, "I promise not say a word of this to anyone. Thanks for filling me in on a lot of things. I appreciate it."

Bernie filled her last balloon, sat down in one of the chairs and motioned Niki to sit down beside her, "Now your turn, honey. I want to know all the dirt on you and Sheldon. How did you meet, how does he treat you, and how on earth do you tolerate some of the things he does?"

Niki stared out at the sky and began to speak, "Let's see, Raj was working with Sheldon on his black hole research and he convinced Sheldon to let me take his place when he went to work at the Palomar Observatory for a few weeks. We found we worked well together and as time went on, we grew closer."

Bernie leaned toward her eagerly, "How did you ever get him to make that move at Disneyland? He's a little slow moving when it comes to romance."

Niki's face became a huge question mark, "He is? He's the one who made the first move, not me. He kissed me right outside of It's a Small World. It was a good kiss, too."

"That's so unlike Sheldon. He usually makes the lady work for it, at least that's what Amy said."

Niki thought for a minute and then nodded in agreement with Bernie, "Yeah, now that you mention it, he did say something along those lines to me. But now he puts the moves on me all the time. Maybe he's just older and more confident now. I don't know."

Now it was Bernie's turn to look confused, "That's strange you called him confident, Sheldon's not real good with social skills, you know?"

Niki shook her head emphatically, "No, I don't know. I believe he's very astute, actually."

"How so? He doesn't always recognize sarcasm or irony. And he's got a weird sense of humor."

"Well, let's see about that. Do you remember when Sheldon and Raj got into it the other night?" Niki looked straight at her friend as she spoke.

Bernie pretended to brush a piece of confetti off of her sweater, "Sure. They do that a lot. We just talked about that, remember?"

"Uh huh, and could someone who has no clue about sarcasm or irony fire off insults at Howard like they were coming out of a machine gun? Well, could they?"

Bernie looked surprised and came close to falling out of her chair, "Wow, I never thought of it that way. Are you saying he's been pulling our leg all these years?"

Niki shook her head once again and explained, "Not at all. Sheldon does have some trouble picking up on social cues, but not to the extent that he would have you believe. He can't lie, that's for sure, but lots of people, myself included, have trouble with that. He loves routines, but don't we all to some extent? I like knowing what's most likely going to happen on any given day, and I bet you do, too. He carries it to an extreme sometimes, but believe me, if he's given the right motivation, he can bend. Boy, can he bend. I'll let you in on another little secret. Sheldon Cooper is one of the most fun people to be around that I've ever met. He's adventurous, timid, serious, silly, wise, caustic, and kind, sometimes all within a space of five minutes. He's slowly maturing and he's learned how to let go and relax in the last few months. Now, Sheldon loves to go dancing with me and he's crazy about rollerblading. But he's not the only one who's different now, I've changed since knowing him, too. He's taught me how to play a mean round of paintball and Halo, and to watch and enjoy Dr. Who. Plus, he listens to me without judgment most of the time. Not everyone can, or will, do that."

"This is Sheldon you're talking about, right?"

Niki gave a little laugh, she'd heard some form of this phrase from Penny more than a few times, "Yeah, that guy. I think the world of him. He's pretty smart, too."

"And he never lets anyone forget it, either. He does have this huge ego problem sometimes."

Niki nodded in agreement, "Yeah, Sheldon does think he's smarter than everyone else, but I think he's just being honest. Anyway, if the only good thing people had ever said about you was that you were smart; wouldn't you hold onto that fact for dear life? His whole life, Sheldon's been called weird, strange, annoying, obnoxious, and rude. The only good thing people say about him is that he's smart. People forget, the guy does have feelings. When the world acts like there's no place for you in it, you find your own niche. Sheldon's was being a genius and he's held onto that like a drowning man to a life preserver. Given the chance, Sheldon is also the kindest person you will ever know."

Bernie turned to Niki with an annoyed face, "Now you're just being ridiculous."

"Am I? Do you remember when Howard's mother died?"

Bernies head dropped and she replied in a small, sad, voice, "Of course I do. Howie was lost, and heartbroken, and scared, all at the same time."

"Okay, now I got this from Penny, so correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Sheldon the one who knew exactly the right thing to say to Howard when no one else did?" Niki stared at her friend, waiting patiently for her answer.

Bernie's eyes grew wide and she gasped, "My god, you're right!"

"And let me tell you something else, this has to do with me and him. I hadn't been working with Sheldon long when I decided to tell him about my past, about Paul dying and me falling apart and losing my job."

Bernie nodded, "Yeah, I heard about that from Penny."

"Uh huh. Do you know what the man you all call insensitive and annoying said to me when I told him all of that?"

"No, what did he say?"

"He told me he felt bad about what I had gone through and that he respected the fact that I had admitted I had a problem and handled it. He was so kind and understanding, when most people would have been judgmental. I think that is when, subliminally, I began to fall in love with him. On the other hand, he's not always the good guy, either. I know for a fact that Sheldon may not always be nice and while he may not recognize irony or sarcasm every time he sees them, when it comes to verbal battles, he chooses his weapons very carefully and uses them very skillfully. Sheldon always knows what he is doing and how to get his way. Always. Pretty socially adept, huh?"

Bernie gave her a sideways glance "You have him all figured out already?"

Niki laughed out loud, "Hell no! I haven't even figured me out completely yet. I just know Sheldon is more capable than most people give him credit for."

"Is that how you manage to put up with him?"

They both rose from their chairs and made their way for the doorway that led downstairs. Niki turned to Bernie and confided to her in a tongue-in-cheek voice, "Well that and…you were saying something about a horse earlier?"

Bernie blushed and headed down the stairs. Niki caught up with her and asked her, "Tell me, why do all of you guys put up with him? Even you say disparaging things about him sometimes, so why do you hang with him? Why is he a large part of your social circle?' Bernie turned to contradict her friend, but Niki stopped her, "Don't you dare say he isn't. Let's see, Leonard and Penny took him in after Amy died, Raj made sure he wasn't left in the lurch for a research assistant when he went to Palomar, and Howard never hosts a game night without inviting Sheldon. Stewart always holds first editions of comic books he likes for him and he's always invited to every party any of you guys throw. Why?"

Bernie thought for a moment and then spoke from the heart, "Oh, that's simple. We do that because in spite of all his faults, we, like you, see his good points. He is loyal, he never talks behind your back, if you need anything he's the first one who will offer it, he will never go after one of his friends' wives or girlfriends, and he's helped every single one of us at some time or another and asked for nothing in return."

They got to the bottom step and stopped. Nike pretended to look out a window and commented in a casual voice, "Oh, Sheldon sounds like a good friend."

"Yeah, I guess he does, I mean, is. I'm sorry I said bad things about him. I know he's good to you and you love him."

Niki started walking away from the window, "I do, very much. He's different, I guess, but I know I'll never find another guy like Sheldon."

Bernadette caught up with Niki and teased her "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

That evening, before the men arrived, the ladies met in Penny's apartment and compared their looks. All three ladies looked extraordinarily beautiful. Bernadette's dress fit her like a second skin and she wore her hair in a high ponytail fastened on the left side of her head. With her eyes graced with copper and gold eye shadow, she looked both adorable and lusciously sexy at the same time.

Penny's dress caressed her body elegantly. She looked like a Greek Goddess done up in red satin. The black gloves added a slight touch of naughty to her dignified ensemble. Penny wore her hair up in a loose bun and had used a combination of amethyst and bronze eye shadow that made her green eyes pop and called appropriate attention to her lovely face.

Niki was perhaps the most transformed. With her strapless dress hugging her long, slender, body, she looked, as she had hoped, like sex on a stick. Her hair was loose and free with a deep side part, reminiscent of Jessica Rabbit. Her unique eyes were dusted with both copper and melon colors, which, with kohl eyeliner, gave her an almost feline appearance.

The three friends nodded at each other in approval, gave the usual encouraging hugs, and went upstairs to the roof to meet their dates.

As the ladies emerged from downstairs, the men turned and took them in, with their mouths ajar and a multitude of thoughts racing through their minds.

Howard took in his wife in her figure hugging dress and told himself, "We're definitely having sex tonight!"

Leonard's first thought was, "How did I ever get so lucky?"

Sheldon's mind drew a complete blank for the first time in his life. He was, as Bernie had predicted, having trouble holding his mud.

Each man guided his love over to a table and presented her with a single red rose. The ladies presented each of their men with a sweet kiss in thanks. A loud "Harrumph" broke the embraces as Raj came through the rooftop door and took his place by the dj's booth. He then smiled widely at each couple and gave them a friendly 'thumbs up'. The ladies looked down and found the following program for the evening propped up against a romantic candle in the center of the table:

Dedications and Picks Rooftop Prom 2026

The Guys to the Ladies How do You Talk to an Angel

Howard to Bernadette All by Myself

Howard's Pick Amazed

Leonard's Pick Stone in Love with You

Penny to Leonard Because You Loved Me

Penny's Pick You Needed Me

Niki's Pick Crazy for You

Sheldon's Pick High on You

Niki to Sheldon Lost in Your Eyes

Ladies to the Guys God Only Knows

Bernadette's Pick Somewhere Out There

Leonard to Penny I Can Love You Like That

Howard's Pick Sexy Eyes

Leonard's Pick If

Sheldon to Niki ?

Penny's Pick Eternal Flame

Niki's Pick The Way You Love Me

Sheldon's Pick I'll Make Love to You

Bernadette's Pik Love Will Keep Us Together

The evening started off with each man leading his lady to the dance floor, looking deep into her eyes, and dancing with her closely to _How Do You Talk to an Angel?_ When the song had finished, the couples all headed over to the salad, pasta, and sushi bar and filled their plates with food. After a few minutes, Raj decided it was time for some more music and started playing Howard's dedication to Bernadette, _All by Myself_ , by Eric Carmen. As they took the dance floor, Bernie's eyes shined bright and she melted right into Howard's arms. She had never expected that her husband would dedicate such a meaningful song to her. She laid her head on his shoulder as they danced and his arms tightened around her, keeping her safe and close to his heart.

After the Wolowitzes had danced their solo dance, everyone looked over to the door as Stuart and his new girlfriend, Georgia came up from downstairs. The men all walked over to greet Stuart and talk comic books while the women quickly surrounded Georgia, gushed over her gown, and showed her where to get the food and drinks. Penny left the group to go talk to Raj about the music, but Bernadette and Niki stayed close to her. They were first struck by how attractive she was in her short, red chiffon dress and then by how sweet and cordial she seemed. Before they could really get a good conversation going with her, Stuart returned to retrieve his petite, dark haired lady and lead her to a private table where they carried on what seemed to be an intimate, happy, conversation for some time.

Raj played the next two songs for everyone to enjoy, _Amazed_ and _Stone in Love with You_ , which had been chosen by Howard and Leonard. All the couples enjoyed these selections, swaying slowly to the music and gazing into each others' eyes as if most of them hadn't been married for over ten years. Before the next song could begin playing, Mary and Alfred appeared from downstairs and everyone left the dance floor to greet them. The older couple were both introduced to Georgia and Stewart while the notes for the next song began. Instead of the listed dedication from Penny and Leonard, Raj played a special song for the them, _Where Do I Begin? The Theme from Love Story._ Everyone took their seats and watched entranced, as Alfred guided his wife tenderly around the dance floor, holding her as if she were something he never wanted to lose. When the song finished and the couple had taken their seats, Penny and Leonard took to the dance floor to dance sweetly to Penny's meaningful dedication to Leonard, _Because You Loved Me._

While Leonard and Penny were dancing, Mary and Alfred sat down to chat with Niki and Sheldon _._

Mary turned to her son and asked, "How's things been goin' with your sweetie, here?"

"Just fine, Mother. But maybe you should get Niki's point of view, also." He raised an eyebrow at his mother while grabbing his girlfriend's hand under the table.

"I'm sorry, honey. He's right, you're sittin' right here. How are you, darlin'?"

I'm doing well, Mary. How was your cruise? I've been trying to talk Sheldon into going on one for some time now."

"It was just fine. I'm sure Sheldon will enjoy it if you ever manage to talk him into it."

"We have other, more pressing, matters on our plate right now, Mother. But I'm sure we'll get around to it in due time."

Mary's curiosity was aroused, so she directed a pointed question to the couple, "What kind of pressing issues? Like a wedding or something?"

Niki shook her head and gave a small smile, "No Mary, not yet. But, we've invested in a property together in order to have more freedom with our research."

Sheldon's mother spun around to address her son, "What? You're leavin' the college?"

Sheldon attempted to calm his mother by giving her his best Koala Face and explaining to her, "Eventually, but there have to be some renovations done before we are ready to move in."

Alfred interjected, "You bought this property together?"

Sheldon nodded soberly, "Yes, in conjunction with a third party."

"What third party?" Leonard's father demanded, suddenly very interested in the conversation.

Sheldon looked uncomfortable as he answered, "A big, shall we say, professional organization from Los Angeles."

"Be very careful with that, Sheldon." Alfred advised him, "How well do you know these people?"

"I have no trouble trusting them, Alfred. Niki has known them for years."

Mary's mouth made a surprised O, "How in tarnation did you meet people like that, girl? I thought you used to be a teacher."

Niki took a bite of pasta salad, paused a second to swallow and calmly explained, "I was, a teacher married to a high profile attorney." She casually shrugged, "You meet some interesting people when you're in that situation."

Mary's husband addressed them both, concern filling his voice, "Do you have a contract that spells out the shares in ownership?"

"Oh yes. Reviewed, signed by both parties and their attorneys, and duly notarized. I was the party that drew up the document, so I made sure, as the young people say, that I covered my ass. Niki and I own 60% of both the physical and intellectual properties."

Alfred nodded, "Well, that sounds good. When do you plan to leave the university? Won't that be difficult?"

Sheldon shook his head slightly as he took a drink of his punch. He then responded to the older man's question. "Our partners in this venture are both very powerful and very wealthy. I don't foresee any problems there."

"Yes, sadly, money does talk with universities." Alfred regretfully admitted. "Won't your friends miss you?"

Sheldon and Niki looked at each other an unspoken question transmitted between them. Both debated filling the older couple in on their plan to include their friends in the move but thought better of it. Niki replied, "We're not going far, just to Altadena. We'll still see them quite often."

Sheldon added, "We would appreciate it if you wouldn't tell anyone else about this. We want to tell them ourselves."

As Mary and Alfred nodded an agreement, Niki suddenly heard the beginning notes to _Crazy for You_ and happily realized that she and Sheldon would be busy dancing for the next little while. She hoped they hadn't admitted too much too soon to Alfred and Mary. She knew that she and Sheldon wanted to break the news of their purchase to their friends in their own time, at the proper moment. Deciding to worry about that later, she smiled and grabbed Sheldon's hand as she led him to the dance floor. It was while they were alone on the dance floor, dancing to the song that Niki had picked that everyone got into little groups and began to socialize. Suddenly everyone went silent as Barry Kripke came through the door. He had Emily Sweeney by the hand and he was smiling broadly in Sheldon's direction.

"Oh, shit." Howard blurted to Bernadette as he saw the reviled couple head toward an empty table.

"Looks like we're about to have Round Two." She warned her husband in a voice filled with trepidation. Gripping his arm tightly, she steered Howard to the dance floor in an effort to warn the oblivious lovebirds of the latest prom development.

 **Will Barry and Emily try to stir up trouble? Can Leonard, Penny, and the rest of the gang prevent them? We'll see.**


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27: Questions Asked, Questions Answered

 **Our Sheldon gets a little bit naughty and a lot romantic. Okay, a lot naughty.**

Howard and Bernadette scurried to the dance floor as quickly as possible, hoping to head off a potential disaster. They pretended to dance next to Niki and Sheldon. When they got within audible range, they discreetly whispered into both of their ears, being careful not to point at the offending parties.

Sheldon's head jerked back and he exclaimed in a pained voice, "Oh good grief!"

Niki stared down at Bernie, turned towards the guest tables, and angrily asked the universe, "What the fuck's up with that?" She spied both Emily and Barry heading towards them with no-good-intent written all over their faces. Niki whispered to Sheldon, "Let me handle this."

Kripke fired the first salvo, "Hewo Coopuh, Swugguh. What's up? How much did you have to pay to escowt this wittle piece of twash?"

Niki grinned at them with amusement, "Well, it seems we're playing a game here."

Barry looked at her, completely puzzled. This was not the reaction he had anticipated. "A game, what game?"

"Wed Wovuh, Wed Wovuh, Wet Bawwy come ovuh. With the pwewequisite skank in tow, too."

Emily snarled at her, "Real cute, Niki. Who's the bitch now?"

Niki gave her one of her best smirks and replied, "If you cared one wit for Barry, and he cared one wit for you, I would say it was me. But that's not the case, is it? You both came here together with the intent of ruining our prom and were primed for an all out attack on me and Sheldon, but it seems I foiled your widdle pwan. Too bad for you."

Both Barry and Emily took a menacing step towards the couple but intercession was on its way. The men came over and led Sheldon off the dance floor while the women did the same to Niki.

Niki complained to the ladies surrounding her, "Sheldon was right, that guy ain't right. He and Emily make _such_ a good couple." She stopped and turned to face the dance floor, "How's Raj, by the way? I hope he's okay."

Penny gave her a reassuring smile, "He's fine. I think he got a kick out of Emily being outmaneuvered. I think it's a case of 'the thrill is gone' for those two."

After a few minutes, Emily came up to the group and attempted to make nice. "Niki was right; I was using Barry to get to her and Sheldon. I'm not sorry for your sake," she gave Niki a cold stare, "but I need to go over to Sheldon and apologize."

Penny placed a restraining hand on her arm, "Leave it, Emily. It's over."

Emily shook free of Penny's grasp, "No, I insist. I feel really badly about that." Emily made her way over to Sheldon and tapped him on the shoulder.

He turned around to face her and Emily began to finger his tie seductively and lean in a little too closely for Sheldon's comfort. She purred seductively, "I'm awfully sorry about what happened earlier, that was wrong of me. Here, let me try to make it right. I owe you a dance." She placed her hand on his arm and attempted to lead him to the dance floor. When he resisted, her arms went around his neck and her tongue flicked his earlobe. He pushed her away with a look of horror on his face.

"My god woman! Why would I want your disgusting tongue in my ear?" Niki observed this out of the corner of her eye and marched back over to Sheldon, who was by this time standing some distance from Emily.

She whispered in a calming voice to Sheldon, "Just follow my lead. Do you think you're up to showing Miss Emily what real seduction is all about?"

Sheldon looked puzzled and whispered back at her, "I don't understand. What are you planning?"

She leaned close to him and in a barely audible voice told him, "Just go with whatever I do. Remember that private dance we do sometimes?"

He nodded and then his eyes went wide, "The one right before we…good lord, you want to do that HERE?"

Niki played with the hair on the back of his neck and looked up at him with bedroom eyes, "Uh huh. Do you want to win the battle once and for all with Barry and Emily or don't you?"

The two sides of Sheldon began to battle. One side valued his privacy and his conservative nature; the other lusted for revenge over Barry Kripike. Kripke had been the victor in too many of their previous confrontations, which was never forgotten among their mutual friends. Privacy vs. Sweet Revenge. Sheldon's decision was quick and final. It would be revenge. He nodded his acquiescence to Niki and prepared his mind for battle.

Niki showed him the name of the song she had written on a napkin and motioned him to deliver it to Raj. He took it from her hand in a determined manner, walked across the dance floor, and handed their dj friend the paper. "Raj, please start the music."

As the opening soft chimes of _Love Me Like You Do_ began, their dance started off with tender, sensitive, touches and loving gazes. As the song progressed and grew in intensity, so did their dance. During the course of the song, Sheldon was shed of both his tie and his tuxedo jacket, the former pulled off by Niki's nimble fingers. Their touches gained in intensity and intimacy. Sheldon's lips found every area of Niki's bare shoulders and neck. Nuzzles turned into playful, sensual bites and their need to touch each other increased. Niki's hands wandered freely under Sheldon's dress shirt and his hands roamed up and down her legs as they were alternately wrapped around his waist when he dipped her low to the ground. The intensity of the song grew yet again and now Sheldon held Niki completely off the ground, one hand cupping her buttocks and the other running through her hair wildly. Her lips tasted his neck, his collarbone and she softly moaned, His hands caressed and stroked every inch of bare skin she presented to him. This was no longer a lesson for Barry and Emily, they were forgotten. Everyone on the roof was forgotten in their increasing desire. Their blood pounded in their ears as their lips, teeth, and hands drew more demanding responses from each of them.

Howard and Bernadette stared at them, fixated on the raw sensuality being displayed by their friends. "That crazy, perverted, beautiful, bastard." Was all Howard could utter, over and over again.

Bernie looked up at her husband, decidedly turned on, "Shut up, Howie and take notes." she whispered to him in a voice ragged with lust.

Penny just watched them with her mouth wide open. She looked over at Leonard and said, "Whoa. All those dirty details she would never give me?"

Leonard nodded, his eyes never leaving the couple on the dance floor, "Yeah?"

"Well their showing them all to us right now."

Alfred found it hard to watch his wife's son and his lady close to copulating on the dance floor. He took one of his hands and attempted to cover his wife's eyes. She pulled the hand away to better glare at her sinning son.

Stuart and Georgia started off feeling uncomfortable but soon found an isolated spot on the roof behind some decorations and tried out some moves of their own.

Barry and Emily knew when they were beat, as they both conceded there was no way for them to either ruin the prom or come between the couple on the dance floor, so they headed for the exit. Raj waved a happy goodbye to them and went back to watching Sheldon and Niki.

As the song ended, Sheldon scooped Niki up in his arms and headed down to his apartment. He had a decided destination in mind. Both of their eyes were wild with desire and their cheeks were flushed as they made their way downstairs. Upon entering the apartment, Sheldon put her down in his 'spot' on the couch, pulled her dress up and her red lace panties down and growled, "I'm going to take you so hard, right here, right now."

Niki merely nodded and surrendered herself. She had never before seen Sheldon this close to being out of control. It was exciting and slightly scary at the same time. This was not coitus, it was not making love, what transpired over the next five minutes was hot, pounding, torrid, sex and nothing but. Sheldon gave a cry and uttered the name of a deity he did not believe in as he finished. Niki contented herself with a primal scream. After, they took stock of each other. Sheldon shirt was half off and he had red scratch marks running across his chest and shoulders. His blue eyes burned brightly with what seemed like an inner flame and his pants were down past his knees. Niki's lips were swollen, her hair was tangled, and her makeup was severely smudged. Teeth marks graced both of their necks and Niki's bodice was pulled down below her breasts. Neither blinked, they were rather enjoying the view.

Finally, Niki stopped panting and spoke. "Maybe we should pull ourselves together and go back upstairs."

Sheldon caught his breath and informed her, "Ah, Niki, I don't want to look too put together. I have always been curious as to how it feels to do the 'Walk of Shame'."

Niki studied his disarray, "Well, now's your chance."

They straightened up enough to look almost presentable; Niki wiped away most of her smudged makeup, pulled up her bodice and underwear, and ran her fingers through her hair. Sheldon buttoned his shirt up most of the way, pulled up his pants, and ran his hand over his own hair, which Niki had put dreadfully awry. They both gave each other a look of approval and headed back up to the roof. When they re-entered the prom floor everyone turned to stare at them with curiosity. They took their seats at their assigned table as if nothing had happened and picked up the drinks they had both left sitting there earlier. Sheldon finished his and returned to the dance floor to retrieve his jacket and tie and also to talk quietly to Raj and hand him something small.

Howard sauntered over, trying and failing to act nonchalant and asked her, "Where did you guys go?"

Niki played with her drink, "Down to Sheldon's apartment."

Howard continued his questioning, "Why?"

Niki answered him in a bored voice, "Oh, we went to retrieve something we left there."

Howard leaned in closer and asked her in a provocative voice, "And that would be?"

She looked up at Howard with a face full of innocence, "Our composure."

Sheldon came back, refilling his drink and his plate on the way, and greeted his friend, "Hello, Howard. Are you having a good time tonight?"

"Sure, but probably not as good as you guys." He then chuckled and looked closely at both of their necks. "I was thinking you could play an interesting game of connect-the-dots with those hickeys you both are sporting."

Sheldon put down his drink and in a deadpan voice told him, "We already have, Howard."

With that, the chastened engineer found his way back to Bernadette and took her out on the dance floor to dance to, perversely enough; _I'll Make Love to You._ Meanwhile, Sheldon and Niki began to converse with his mother and Alfred, who had joined their table after Howard had made his exit.

Mary started the conversation, "I love you, Sweetie, make no mistake about that, but what you did out there was not pleasing to The Lord."

Sheldon picked up a piece of pasta with his fork and pretended to be concentrating on that, "I wasn't aware He was watching, Mother." Alfred had to snicker at that one while his wife shot him an angry look.

His mother continued with her lecture, "Activities like that are only for married folk, especially in front of everyone in public. Last I heard, you two ain't married."

Sheldon nodded curtly, "You heard correctly, then. Now, if you'll excuse us, Raj is about to play one of my favorite songs."

Niki looked down at the program and was intrigued, "Sheldon, for the song you dedicated to me, there's only a question mark there. Why?"

He winked at her and smiled, "That's because it's a surprise, my lady." He tenderly took her hand and they made their way to the dance floor. The frenzied passion of earlier had been replaced by a touching tenderness that, once again, left Niki weak in the knees, but for an entirely different reason. Sheldon had chosen _I Swear_ for Raj to play as his song dedication to her. Gazing up into his eyes, she felt an assurance that he meant every word of this song. She remembered what she had told Bernadette earlier that day that she knew she would never find another Sheldon. She had been completely honest when she had said that. She knew that she had never met a man as devoted, honest, interesting, and loyal as Sheldon Cooper before in her life and she was convinced she never would again. All the women at this prom loved their men deeply, but she felt she was the luckiest. She sighed and laid her head on his shoulder, content to be held by her wonderful lover and guided across the dance floor. Sheldon took the index finger of his right hand and raised her chin. He then proceeded to softly kiss her lips, her eyelids, and the top of her head. As the song progressed, he wrapped his arms around her waist and held her tightly against him.

Alfred looked at his wife and said, "You know, Mary, I'm willing to bet that The Lord considers those two already married in his eyes." Mary merely nodded and let the tears run down her cheeks. As the song neared its end, Sheldon released his hold on Niki and walked over to Raj at the dj table. He talked to him in a low voice that no one else could hear, nodded as Raj handed him the small package Sheldon had given him earlier, and returned to Niki's side.

With the closing notes of the song, Sheldon knelt in front of her on one knee, opened a small jewelry box, and presented her with a ring made from her two favorite gems. A large, oval, fire opal was set in a curved white gold band and surrounded by several small, dark blue, sapphires. "One for every reason I love you." he told her later that night. Niki eyes spilled over with tears and all she could do was nod. Sheldon slipped the ring on her left index finger and pulled her in tightly for a long, lingering kiss.

Oh my God!" Penny screamed, "That's the most romantic proposal I've ever seen!" She turned to Leonard, "I'm sorry honey, I meant…" he shushed her and returned his gaze to his best friend and his new fiancée.

"I have to agree with you, Penny. They beat us with the proposal for sure. But I dare them to come up with a better marriage than we have."

Penny's heart melted and she held on to her husband tightly. "I love you so much, Leonard! You always know the perfect thing to say." she whispered into his neck.

Howard and Bernadette watch the proceedings happily. "They kinda remind me of you and me." Howard remarked to his wife.

"Only taller." Bernie told him.

After the dance ended everyone surrounded the happy couple to congratulate them. In the middle of all the well wishes, Penny asked them, "Have you talked about any wedding dates yet?"

Sheldon's face was one of shock, "Cool your jets, woman. We've only been engaged for ten minutes!"

Niki went to hug Penny and told her, "I think I'd like a long engagement. Sheldon and I have only been dating for a few months. I'd like to spend some time getting to know him better, and talking him into going on a cruise for our honeymoon!

Leonard came over to her, gave her a quick hug, and put this question to her, "If you don't feel you know him well enough, why did you say 'yes' to marrying him?"

Niki smiled happily at him and explained, "I didn't say I didn't know him well enough. For some strange reason; we seemed to know each other very well from the start. What I said was that I wanted to get to know him better. There are so many layers to Sheldon and I want to take the rest of my life to discover all of them. I want to know at least half of them by the time we get married."

Mary pulled Sheldon aside and told him, "You've made me real proud, son. You done good. Just like you did with Amy. You got good taste and good sense. I imagine the Lord _was_ watching _that_ , son. And smiling like a Cheshire Cat."

Sheldon hugged his mother fiercely, "Thank you, I have had the perfect evening. I have you and Alfred, all of my friends, and Niki around me. I don't believe it gets any better than that."

Penny walked up behind him, grinned, and slapped his bottom, "You got that right, buster! Congratulations to our two very special friends from all of us. This has definitely been a prom to remember! Oh, by the way, tell Niki I did spike the punch."

"With what?" he demanded.

"Penny Hofstadter's two magic ingredients for a good time, Love and Friendship."

 **What happens to everyone next? I guess you'll have to keep reading.**


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28: What's Up, Doc?

 **What will be the aftermath of the prom? Will things more or less stay the same, or are some things changing?**

It was the first Friday night after the prom and both Niki and Sheldon were wrapping up their work week and preparing to go home.

Niki looked up from packing her briefcase, "Sheldon, do you think the time is right to tell everyone about our upcoming base of operations change?"

He looked up from the pile of papers strewn across his desk, "You mean tell them about the new property we have purchased?"

"Yes. We need Raj and Howard's help on the renovations if they decide to join us. We have to know what Howard needs as far as equipment goes. We should also get Raj's input on what kind of telescope will work up there in the cupola. Then we can put those requests in to Binary."

Sheldon stood up and went over to Niki and kissed her cheek, "I suppose some women would be focusing on their recent engagement, but not you. You are correct, however, we should start getting things set up there. Perhaps we should have everyone meet at your place tomorrow night?"

"That sounds like a good plan. They're all going to have to know eventually and we could ease them into it by making them something good to eat."

Sheldon went back to his desk and began organizing his papers, taking a moment to look up excitedly at her, "Does that mean what I think it does?"

Niki grinned at his childlike anticipation, "Yep, I'll make my famous homemade pizza. Or maybe the correct word is infamous."

"I do believe famous is the proper adjective to use for your pizza. I greatly enjoy it and have highly recommended it to all of our friends."

"Well, I have to confess, Penny and Bernadette have had it once, that time you cancelled our dinner plans to go play games at Raj's house. Anyway, they said they loved it. So maybe they will encourage the guys to come. One can only hope. The good news is our workweek is finally over, and speaking of work, I feel I was fairly productive this week. How about you?"

Sheldon finished placing his papers in the proper files and turned to speak, "I am quite satisfied with what I accomplished. Though I have one more thing I'd like to complete before we leave."

"What's that?"

He stared at her, his blue eyes flaming. "You know what."

Niki protested halfheartedly, "Sheldon, we're at work, in our office. Leonard will be here in a few minutes to pick you up. You're going out with the guys tonight, right?"

He came close, undid her ponytail, and ran his fingers through her hair, "Yes, which is why I need you now."

"This won't wait until tomorrow night?" she asked him, though the thought of waiting was beginning to feel like torture to her as well.

Sheldon pulled off her top, "This won't wait another minute. Since prom night, I can't seem to get enough of you. What have you done to me Nikita Horner? It seems I can't stop wanting you constantly."

"And in unusual places, especially. Let's see, in the last few days we've done it on the kitchen table, the couch in both of our apartments, on the floor, and somehow, on my Lazy Boy. What next?"

"Well, there's my desk…or yours."

Sheldon, I…" his hands began to explore different regions of her body, "damn you! Do you always have to get your way?"

Sheldon kissed her neck and replied "You can say 'no'. I will stop."

Niki now ran her hands under his shirts, removed them, and tossed them across the room, "What if I don't? You know I want it as badly as you now."

"But Leonard will be here shortly." He stopped and teased her.

"Screw Leonard." she groaned.

Sheldon resumed exploring her body, "No. I want _you_. Now."

She protested, "Hey, I didn't mean that literally, I…"

Sheldon placed a finger on her lips and laid her body carefully across the desk, the cushion of the couch underneath her. "Now, little lady, this won't hurt a bit."

She pulled his head down to hers, "Oh, don't I know it."

Fifteen minutes later a knock was heard at the door. "Hey buddy, you ready to go? Why's the door locked?"

"I'll be there in a minute, Leonard." Sheldon rearranged the office furniture, adjusted both of their clothes as best he could, and answered the door.

Leonard took in their disheveled clothing and shook his head, "Good grief, you guys. Again? You're getting to be like rabbits."

Sheldon rolled his eyes at his friend, "No, Leonard, we're not like rabbits at all. With rabbits the male always takes the female from behind and furthermore, female rabbits can get aggressive when having coitus and neuter the males. Niki has never come close to attempting that. Also, with rabbits, you should never put the male in the female's hutch; it's extremely dangerous for him. Nothing of that sort goes on between Niki and me. Okay, maybe the taking the female from behind once in awhile...Now, unlike rabbits, there is no danger of me entering her hutch for mating. Most of the time, when Niki and I desire intimacy, we go to her apartment, though we have used your couch a time or two…"

Leonard covered his ears with his hands, "Stop! Just stop. I don't need to hear anymore."

"But Leonard, you said we were like rabbits and I was merely pointing out how incorrect you were."

Leonard looked at Sheldon's girlfriend with pity written across his face, "Niki, I'm sorry about this."

Niki was highly amused and far from embarrassed. Sometimes when Sheldon got on a roll, he was unbelievably humorous without meaning to be. She wiped tears of mirth from her eyes, "Oh god, Leonard, don't be sorry. That was hilarious! Go on, both of you. I'm meeting Penny and Bernie in an hour or so after Penny's done with her performance tonight and I want to go home, take a shower, and make myself presentable."

Sheldon took her in from head to toe, "You look very presentable to me."

"Sheldon, if it was up to you I'd be running around buck naked 95% of the time."

He placed his hands on his hips and looked at her in exasperation, "Excuse me; is there something wrong with that?"

She grinned at him and went to retrieve her purse from behind her desk, "There is if you want to win that Nobel in this lifetime, Dr. Cooper."

He nodded in agreement, "Point taken. Leonard, shall we go?"

Leonard was already halfway out the door, "I've never heard sweeter words in my life. Goodbye Niki, have fun with the ladies."

Sheldon went over to Niki and gave her a quick kiss, "Yes, enjoy yourself with Penny and Bernadette. I will Skype you later tonight."

She called out as they left the office, "'Bye guys, say 'hi' to Raj and Stewart for me."

Sheldon's voice trailed off as they went down the hall, "and rabbits are exceedingly quick when they mate, Leonard. The males can have coitus up to three times in an hour and for the life of me I can't imagine….."

Niki, Penny, and Bernadette were all congregated around Penny's coffee table, the remnants of their take out dinner hidden in the kitchen. The main topic of conversation among them was Niki and Sheldon's relationship.

Bernie started the conversation with a quick question, "So, how does it feel to be an engaged lady?"

Penny picked up where her friend had left off, "Yeah, have you made any wedding plans yet?"

Niki picked up her cup and sipped some coffee, then admitted to her friends, "Look guys, I'm excited about being engaged and all, but I'm also a little worried about Sheldon."

Bernie gave her a quizzical look, "Why would you be worried? The man just proposed to you, for crying out loud."

"I can't put my finger on it, well, yes I can, he's turned into a total horn dog. He used to be so romantic and sweet. Sexy and interested, don't get me wrong, but just very much a 'proper time and place' type of guy. Work came first, which I loved, then me and his friends, and then his hobbies. It worked so well for us. Now? Completely different."

Penny picked up her can of soda and looked over at Niki, "Like how? He still seems like Sheldon to me."

Niki blushed and answered her, "Let me put it this way, he's like a dog humping my leg all the time, which was never him before the last week. Ever."

Bernie threw her friend a lascivious look, "Maybe the dress you wore to prom flicked on the 'horny' switch."

Niki smiled at the little blonde and shook her head, "No, it's more than that. I think he's using sex as some kind of stress reliever."

Penny protested, "What's he got to be stressed over? He's got a great job at a great university. He's madly in love with a woman who loves him back. You guys just got engaged, wait, that could be it. Men can get funny when they get ready to settle down."

"I'd say you may be right, but Sheldon's been married before, this isn't new territory for him."

Penny shrugged and got up and threw her can away, "Well, what else could it be?"

Niki responded with a question looking earnestly from one of her friends to the other, "I think it's a combination of things. Can you guys keep a secret until tomorrow night? Meaning you can't breathe a word to Leonard, Howard, or Raj?"

"Sure, at least I think I can. It's hard for me to keep stuff from my Howie Wowie."

Penny sat back down on the couch and made a gagging-myself-motion with her finger, "Give it a break, sweetie. You've been going on like that since the prom. Was there something in the food that night?"

Niki chimed in, "What, like Viagra? I swear, Sheldon's been acting like the Energizer Bunny lately."

"My Howie has turned into Mr. Romance, it's not all sex with him." Bernie boasted to the other two women.

Niki sighed, "Wish I could say that."

Penny got up to retrieve the soda can that had missed its mark, "You know, some of the things you've told me about you and him, well, I almost can't believe this is Sheldon you're talking about. But I saw it with my own eyes at prom, so I have to believe it, I guess. If it's not about the getting married bit, I can't figure out what's happened to the guy."

Niki shook her head in frustration and followed Penny into the kitchen to put her cup in the sink. She suddenly brightened and began to talk in a hurried voice, "Hey, I have an idea of why, but I need to know for sure before my lady parts wear out."

"Why don't you just say 'NO'?" Bernie suggested to her. "It's a pretty handy word to use in some situations."

Niki came back into the living room and took her seat, "Because nowadays the man is super seductive. Don't you dare laugh, Penny. He looks at me with those eyes and I'm a goner. It's getting exhausting, though, and we have a lot going on right now we should be focusing on."

Penny returned to the living room, took a sip out of her new soda and grinned, "Like planning a wedding?"

"No, that's a little ways in the future. This is something that's going to happen sooner than that, but we aren't close to being ready to move on it."

Bernie leaned forward with an excited look on her face, "What is it? I'm getting really curious."

"That is what you're going to have to keep secret until tomorrow." Niki looked like she was debating something in her mind, "Look, can you guys come with me while I show you something?"

"Sure, but what is it?" Bernie asked her again.

Niki stood up and reached for her purse and keys, "I'll tell you when we get there. Come on girls; let's grab our bags and go."

Penny motioned them to sit back down, "Wait, a minute, ladies. I just got the strangest text from Leonard."

Bernie sat back down and looked at Penny, "What does it say?"

Niki cringed; she was almost sure what it would say.

"He says, _next time we_ _see Sheldon, don't u dare mention rabbits!_ "

Niki stood up in a resolute manner, picked up her purse and keys once more, and motioned the other two to follow her, "Okay guys, the time has come. Everybody downstairs and into my car."

Once in Altadena, Niki maneuvered her car from a main street onto a long, narrow, side road and followed it until they came to a winding driveway and turned into it. Niki parked the car by a row of towering cedar trees. All three of the women got out of the car and gazed at the sprawling home in front of them.

Penny stared at the imposing building, "What is this?"

Niki locked her car and answered her, "It's the property Sheldon and I bought not too long ago."

Penny walked closer to the house to get a better look at it, "Are you guys going to move here?"

"In time, right now we're getting ready to make some renovations."

Bernie studied the house for a minute and made the comment, "It looks a little like Monticello."

Penny looked confused, "Monty who?"

Niki explained the name to Penny, "Monticello was Thomas Jefferson's home. Yeah, Bernie, it does, but without the brick walls."

Bernie pointed at the home and asked her, "What _are_ those walls made of?"

"Polished granite. Pretty neat, huh?"

The smaller woman walked up to the portico and touched one of the columns, "It looks kinda like a Greek temple, but on a smaller scale, of course." She began to giggle, "The perfect home for a goddess."

Niki headed for the front door and unlocked it, "Bernie, cut it out. I'm not a goddess and Sheldon isn't a god." She turned on a couple of lights and gestured for the girls to enter.

Penny followed them inside and rolled her eyes, "Well, duh, on the Sheldon part."

Niki grinned as her two friends gaped at the main room with its amazing ceiling, "Anyway, we aren't going to live in this house, there's an adorable back house that we both love. That's the one we'll be living in.

Penny nodded, "So, you're going to rent this one out?"

"Not really, no."

Bernie looked around her. If they weren't going to rent it out…"What are you going to do with it then? You've got me confused."

Niki turned on some more lights, "This is the part that you can't tell the guys. We want to convert this entire building into a physics research facility."

Bernie shook her head as if to clear it, "That's going to take a lot of money. Plus, both of you already work for Cal Tech. You can't just take your research and leave. They own most of that."

Niki couldn't stop herself from staring at the beautiful ceiling "For enough money they won't care where we go or what we take with us."

Penny whistled. "That would take a whole lot of money, honey."

Niki gave a mysterious smile and nodded, "Uh huh. It will."

Penny's eyes narrowed and she had to ask, "Where are you going to get money like that? Wait, that's what this whole secret thing is about, isn't it? Come clean, who's putting up the money for all of this?"

Niki sighed and turned to face her friends, "Well, it's partially funded by Sheldon and me. However, some old friends of mine from when I was married are also in on it. For now, they'd like to remain anonymous, but they've formed a corporation to hide behind and are willing to bid the Cal Tech for our services and our research rights."

Penny repeated herself, "Like I said before, that's gonna take a boatload of money."

"Yep, and their pockets are as deep as the Marianas Trench."

Penny was lost again, "Maryanne who?"

Niki smiled and clarified the term for her, "The Marianas Trench is a great big rift valley in the western Pacific Ocean. It's the deepest place in all of the world's oceans. In other words, my friends' pockets are deep. Very, very, deep.

Bernie had a question for her, "So what is Sheldon worried about?"

Niki looked up again and sighed, "It's not this property itself he's worried about, I don't think so, anyway. He hates change, you all know that, but with this he wants it more than he's afraid of it. However, there are some other details that he _is_ concerned about."

Both ladies ask at the same time, "What details?

"Okay, you guys have to swear not to tell the guys anything about this, okay?"

Penny nodded her head in agreement, "Sure, okay. Bernie? You'd better not peep a word to Howard."

Niki looked at her friend sternly, "It's only until tomorrow night. You can stay quiet that long, can't you?"

Bernie nodded reluctantly, "Yeah, I can. But only 'til tomorrow night."

Niki took a deep breath, exhaled, and began speaking, "Okay, here goes. We want to take Leonard, Howard, and Raj with us when we move here."

Bernie's eyes flew wide open, "Your friends have that much money to get all the guys?"

"Marianas Trench, remember? Sickeningly wealthy people. Powerful, too. They have more than enough money to get whatever they want." Niki explained as she began to walk around the room.

It was Penny who asked the practical question, "Why do they want the guys so badly?"

Niki gave as simple an explanation as she could, "Howard's a former astronaut who has ties with NASA, that's good for PR. Leonard is one of the best in the world at what he does, everyone in the physics world knows who Leonard Hofstadter is, and Raj is one of the nation's top astrophysicists. Any more questions?"

Both ladies stared at her with open mouths. Penny spoke first, "How did you meet these people?"

Niki stopped walking and looked at them over her shoulder, "I told you, through my late husband."

Penny looked confused and had to ask, "Wait, who the hell was he?"

Niki kept her back to them, "A very well known Constitutional Law attorney. He would have been up for a place on the Supreme Court when he got older."

Bernie walked up to her and asked in a confused voice, "I don't recall any famous attorneys named Paul Horner."

Niki turned to face both of her friends and offered an explanation to them, "That's because his last name wasn't Horner. Horner is my maiden name."

It was Penny's face that suddenly filled with understanding. "That explains it…wait, was your husband Italian?"

"Yes, he was".

Penny crossed her arms and a hint of a smile appeared, "Did his last name begin with R?"

Niki nodded, "Uh huh."

Penny's eyes started to gleam and she excitedly asked Niki, "Girlfriend, was your husband Paul Rosselli?"

"Maybe." Niki wanted the conversation to end there, but Penny kept it going.

"Oh my god! Lots of big wigs in show business knew your husband. You guys ran with friends of the President, too!"

Niki started to walk back across the room. She often got uncomfortable when people realized who her late husband had been. "Sometimes. And sometimes we hung out with my friends from work or our families. Like any other couple." She tried hard to make their marriage sound normal, though she knew it had never come close to what anyone else would call 'normal'.

Bernie shook her head in wonder, "And now you're with Sheldon. Now that's a stretch."

Niki mentally compared the two men and told Bernadette, "I like to think I've upgraded."

Penny smiled, she was happy for Sheldon. Not many women on the planet would have made that statement about her oddball friend. "I don't know the details of why, but you must really be crazy for him."

Niki turned back to Bernadette and Penny, "That I am, and concerned. Neither of us knows whether any of the guys will want to come with us and what we'll do if they don't. I'm guessing it's driving Sheldon crazy. That's why I'm so concerned about him."

As if on cue, they heard Sheldon's voice coming from the opposite side of the door leading to the kitchen. "So, this is it. What do you fellows think?"

The door suddenly opened and Howard said sheepishly, "I think we should all say 'Hello' to the ladies."

 **How will everyone handle this situation? Neither one of them was supposed to tell their friends yet…but, you know how those things go.**


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29: Can We Talk?

 **BUSTED! Where will our group of friends go from here? Some interesting talks.**

Niki gasped and took a step back, she hadn't expected him to be there, most likely he was feeling the same way, "What are you guys doing here?

Sheldon stared at Niki, surprised to see her standing in front of him with Penny and Bernadette in tow. "Maybe I should ask you the same question."

"I took Penny and Bernie here to explain something to them."

Sheldon looked at her in a curious manner and moved through the door, "May I ask what you were trying to explain?"

Niki looked at her two friends and answered him, "Sure. I brought them here to show them what we've had on our minds and why I've been worried about you."

Sheldon looked at her in confusion as he closed the door behind him, "You've been worried about me? Why on earth would you be worried about me?"

"Well, I thought that maybe you've been stressed from all of this." Niki explained as she waved her hand in a gesture meant to include the entire property.

"Stress from this? Niki, why would I feel stress from this?"

"Well, how much about our plans have you told them?" she asked him, pointing to Howard, Leonard, and Raj.

Howard interrupted the conversation long enough to say, "Enough to get me leaning towards coming here, that is, after I talk to my wife. Hi Honey." Bernie merely nodded and smiled. She was curious about what Niki and Sheldon were saying to each other.

Niki walked over to Sheldon and put her arm through his, "So I take it they know everything."

Leonard nodded, "Pretty much. Maybe more than I wanted to know about some things." He shot an exasperated look at Sheldon

Niki could no longer contain herself; she had to ask, "So…what did you guys decide?"

Howard nodded at the two of them, "If Bernie agrees, I'm coming here and will help in whatever way I can. It sounds like a great opportunity for me, for all of us."

Raj smiled and came forward to shake Sheldon's hand, "I've got nothing to lose and I think it's time I made some changes in my life. Count me in."

Sheldon looked at his best friend with almost pleading eyes, "Leonard?"

"I don't know yet, Sheldon, I'm not sure I'm ready to leave the school. It's a pretty safe job with great benefits."

Niki went over and hugged Leonard, "I understand that completely. Only you can decide what's best for you."

Sheldon looked at his friend, almost in a panic, "I don't understand. Leonard, don't you trust me? I thought we were friends."

Niki took his arm once more and warned her fiancé, "Sheldon…"

Leonard interceded, "No, Niki, he has a point. Yes, we're friends and, no, I don't think your plan will fail. I'm just happy where I'm at. Can you guys understand that?"

"Yes, of course." She told him.

"Not at all." He said.

Bernie could no longer keep quiet, "Why not, Sheldon? I thought you were the one who always hated change. This time you're the one who's handling it well. Maybe it's Leonard's turn for a little understanding in that area."

Sheldon slowly nodded, as if finally comprehending Leonard's feelings, "Okay, but this change was of my own doing, it wasn't forced upon me. I'm better with those kinds of changes. But, tell me, what do _you_ think of Howard coming here?"

"That's Howard's decision to make not mine. It's his career, remember? If NASA gives the okay and he will still be available to them when and if they need him, why not?"

He turned to look at his best friend's wife, "Penny? You haven't said anything yet."

She looked at her husband warmly, "What can I say? I took a risk with going back to acting and Leonard supported me all the way. Whatever he decides to do is okay with me. Like you said, Bernie, it's his career, not mine."

Niki released Sheldon's arm and turned to face him, "Very good. Since everyone's weighed in, I'd like to ask Sheldon something and let him answer it for me."

He nodded, "All right. What do you want to ask me?"

"If this whole thing here," she waved her hands to encompass the entire property, "and all the work we will have to do to make it work didn't make you nervous, what did?"

Sheldon gazed at her with a quizzical look on his face, "Where did you get the idea I was nervous about anything?"

Niki tried to explain, "Well, you've certainly stepped up the physical side of our relationship, as Leonard said; we've been going at it like…" before she could finish, Leonard interrupted her with a decisive

"DON'T SAY IT!"

"Okay, let's just say our love life has been put into overdrive lately. I thought that you might be dealing with your worries or anxieties that way."

Sheldon put his arms around her and pulled her close to him, "That's preposterous. Do you really want to know why our love life has been a bit more active lately?"

Leonard interrupted them again, "Don't you dare compare it to…"

"Relax, Leonard. The reason our intimate life has become more active is that you are the lady who has agreed to become my wife. My desire for you has increased because I am excited about spending the rest of my life with you. That thought has had a most positive effect on my libido. Any other questions?"

Niki looked up at him and smiled, "I have two. Why did you bring the guys here tonight and are you free later tonight?"

"To answer your first question, I was so proud of what we are going to build together; I couldn't wait to show my friends. Yes, Howard, in spite of our occasional verbal sparring I do consider you a friend and most necessary to this endeavor. To answer your second question, I am making plans to spend the night with my beautiful fiancée. I do hope I have answered all of your questions." She nodded quickly. "I have? Good. Then I do believe we are done here for tonight. Now, if you don't mind, I am off to a special moonlight madness sale at the comic book store with these gentlemen. Niki, I will see you later. Keep the light on, as they say."

Sheldon arrived at Niki's apartment sometime after midnight with a new stack of comic books in his arms. He laid them on the kitchen counter and greeted Niki with a soft, gentle, kiss. He made his way over to the couch and patted the seat next to him, inviting her to sit there.

"May we sit and talk? I think we need to clear the air about some things. We've already told each other about our childhoods and our previous relationships. Now, I do believe it's time we told each other about how we came to _our_ relationship and how we truly feel about each other. Are you, to use a hackneyed phrase, game?"

Niki came and sat close to him and nodded, "Of course. What do you wish to discuss? I'm all ears, to reference rabbits once more."

Sheldon gave one of his strange, hiccupping laughs and then turned serious and began to speak, "Sometimes I look at you, Niki, and you take my breath away. You are very intelligent and very beautiful, don't say anything to deny it, I think you are both of those things. It's strange and completely foreign to me how I love to touch you. For the better part of my life I detested the thought of touching anyone. I neither desired, nor initiated, any human contact beyond what was needed for work and social situations. Sex was the furthest thing from my mind."

Niki took one of his hands in hers and asked him, "You mean, you never had sex with anyone?"

Sheldon shook his head emphatically, 'No. Nor did I want to."

"Not even with yourself?" She was trying desperately to understand just how deep his aversion to touch had gone.

He answered her reluctantly, "Only when absolutely necessary. Anyway, then I met Amy and finally connected intimately with another human being besides Leonard. But did I desire touching and sex? Gradually I did, but not to any great degree. As time went on, I did hold her hand, kiss her, hug her, make love with her, but not as often as most people would consider normal. I was stunted in that area. After she died, I did what was for me unthinkable and started therapy. I found out a lot about myself, why I was the way I was.

Niki gently squeezed his hand in encouragement, "What did the therapist tell you?"

Sheldon looked directly into her eyes and began to speak in an extremely serious manner, "He came to the conclusion that my mental block concerning touch was a combination of PTSD, from observing my father's cruelty for many years, and OCD, most likely from the same source and being bullied at school. I just kept so much inside I forgot how to reach out to others. Touching meant being close to people and sharing their germs, and also their warmth if I want to be truthful. I did not trust anyone enough to do that. Mentally, I just shut out that part of living. In my mind, people hurt you. I wanted no part of them beyond what was absolutely necessary. I never even shared many of my true thoughts with others. The only person in my life I let even remotely close to me was my Meemaw. She was always loving, kind, and accepting of me the way I was. Then I met Leonard. A kinder, more patient, more trustworthy man has never existed. Slowly, we became friends and he put up with all of my annoying habits. There were way too many of them for me to mention here, we'd be up all night.

Niki smiled, "You hit the nail on the head about Leonard. Everyone likes Leonard, he just feels warm and safe, doesn't he?"

"Yes, as I have stated to you before, he is one of the finest people I have ever met in my life. But to continue with my story, he stayed my friend and because of Leonard I started to let people in a little bit. I developed friendships with Howard and Raj and life was pretty good. Amy came along and I eventually fell in love for the first time. How I loved her! She was me in a female form. I trusted her and while it took a long time for our relationship to develop, by the time we got engaged we were solid, or so I thought. I informed you previously how I took her for granted, it still pains me to remember that. She should have gotten more from me, but at that time I was too closed off and selfish. I have not always been a good person, Niki. I want you to know that." He hung his head in shame at the remembrance of his past actions.

She smiled at him and her voice held much warmth and comfort, "You've told me this before and I understood. We've all had our bad moments in the past, Sheldon. Trust me on that. I never thought you were without fault, I have always considered you a sexy genius, but never perfect. So tell me, do you still see your therapist?"

He kissed her quickly on the cheek and continued, "Only occasionally, for reinforcement when I feel overwhelmed by life. But not often anymore. And that's partly your doing, young lady. When you met me, that wonderful day when you and Raj walked into my office, I was starting to come out of the worst of my grieving. As time went by I started to fall in love with you. I loved how much fun you always had doing anything, how brave you were, your lovely laugh, your amazing eyes, I adored all of it. But I couldn't tell you. I thought for sure you would turn me down. Then, on my birthday at Disneyland, I gathered up my courage and kissed you. My life has not been the same since. You always encourage me to laugh with you, smile with you, study and research with you, eat with you, sleep with you, come with you; it has been so fulfilling just to _be_ with you. I knew I wanted to marry you the moment you took out all those people the first time we played paintball. All the hurt and pain you had felt in your life came out through that paint ball gun. That day I wanted so badly to hold you and kiss you and tell you I loved you, but I couldn't muster up the nerve. You were so courageous and I was a coward. You reminded me very much of a brave child facing the boogie man. Silly thought, but there it was."

Niki looked away from him for a moment to compose herself and then started to talk, "Sheldon, I was far from an open person myself. My entire life has been a pursuit of science. I loved Paul, but when he cheated it didn't hurt me like it should have. It didn't affect my professional life and our marriage didn't seem to change, so I didn't protest at all. I guess I didn't have the confidence to call him out on his actions, or I didn't care enough. My work was not affected, so it was all good in my mind. Pathetic, wasn't I? My form of coping, like yours, was to bury everything inside of me. When I met you the first time, I was still very much afraid to tell you or anyone else my true feelings. You have helped me so much with that; for some time, you were the only person I felt safe enough to talk to honestly. That you saw that much of me through my actions that day tells me you are a very insightful man. That's part of why I love you. You're a much deeper person than it appears on the surface."

"I still have trouble accepting that. When we started our relationship I would sometimes pinch myself to see if what was happening to me was real."

She stood up and headed towards the kitchen, "May I get you a hot beverage? No? Okay. Now, why didn't it seem real?" She opened the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of water. She made a motion to offer one to him, but he shook his head in reply.

He clasped his hands in front of him and continued, "Because I thought I wasn't worthy of you. I'm reminded of something Leonard said to me once, though I didn't understand it at the time. It was shortly after he became engaged to Penny. He told me that he felt like he was in high school once more and he, the geekiest kid in school, had won the hand of the head cheerleader. Now, I have never wanted a cheerleader, but the feeling is much the same. In other words, how did a woman like you go for geeky, strange, nerdy me?"

Niki came back into the living room and sat down next to him once more, "Gee, Sheldon, I'm a pretty big geek myself, that's a big part of it. But do you really want me to explain everything to you?"

He gave an earnest nod of his head, "If you don't mind."

"Do you think I stumbled into your office that day on pure chance? Let me tell you how Raj and I met. I was working up at Mt. Wilson and he came up there to see our big telescope. Raj is crazy for telescopes, just like me. We started talking and he told me he worked at Cal Tech. I asked him if he had ever met you and he told me you were a good friend of his. I was blown away. I had been reading and following your work for years. You might say I had a bit of a professional crush on you."

Sheldon eyes went wide in disbelief.

She touched his cheek and caressed it with her finger, "So, when a position opened up at the university to work with Raj I put in for it and got the job. I do believe he had a hand in that. I loved working with Raj, but I wanted to meet you so very badly. When he came to me with the offer to fill in for him on a research project with you, I jumped at the chance. In the beginning I stuck completely to work, I was in total awe of you and very intimidated, that's why I came off a bit snarky at first, I had my defenses up to the nth degree. After a few days I realized that we worked very well together and I started to relax. "

"That was still a long way from love, Niki."

She admitted that with a nod of her head, "I know. That day when I told you about my past in the restaurant was big for me. I was hurting so badly that day, just missing Paul I guess, and you were so kind and understanding. That's the day I do believe my feelings started to change from hero worship to love, though I wouldn't even admit that to myself, much less you. The night you introduced me to your friends was the night I started to come out of my safe, little, cocoon. I began to truly feel things, and I wanted a full life once more. Meeting and getting to know Penny and Bernadette has had a very positive impact on me as well. They are both upstanding ladies and true friends."

Sheldon nodded in agreement, "That night was a turning point for me, as well. You looked so lovely that night, and were so nice to my friends. I was afraid you would see my heart beating through my shirt, that's how hard I was falling."

She gave him just the tiniest of smirks, "You sure hid it well."

He grinned back at her, "Likewise."

Niki laid her head on his shoulder, "Let me continue. I always had so much fun with you, whether we were rollerblading, playing paintball, dancing, whatever, I just enjoyed being with you. I still do, of course."

Now it was Sheldon's turn to grab her hand and look at her with an endearing intensity, "Do you know I couldn't even admit it to myself I wanted to touch you in a romantic way or kiss you until my birthday at Disneyland? I knew I had feelings for you, but kiss or hug you? I was so scared of that I couldn't even entertain the thought of it. Until something in your actions that night told me to, as they say, go for it."

Niki gave a little chuckle, "Well, I very glad you did. By the way, that was some kiss."

His smile was wide as he asked her, "I take it you enjoyed it?"

"Best first kiss I ever had. No lie. Sheldon, I fell so in love with you that night, once we kissed, I never wanted to let you go.""

"I felt much the same way. Why do you think I booked the room for a second night? One night would have never been enough time to share my love with you. You know, I've just recalled something that happened that night."

She sipped her water and asked him, "What is it?"

"When we were leaving the dance floor, a stranger handed me a business card. My mind was solely on you at that moment, so I have never really looked at it. I took it home and put it in my wallet."

"Ooh, let's look at it now! I want to see what's on that card."

Sheldon pulled his wallet out of his pocket, opened it, and removed out the card. It had one line of writing on it. A man's name and a phone number with the words, _Call me_ , written on it.

"Niki, do you recognize this name? I'm drawing a complete blank."

Niki took the card from his hand and read it. "Holy Shit! Yeah, I know who this is."

Sheldon stared at her in concern, she hadn't moved nor blinked in several seconds, "Well, are you going to inform me of this person's identity or are you going to sit there like a stone monument the rest of the day?"

Niki came back to the present with a shake of her head, "That's…he's…the man who handed you that card is the most powerful man in what is now known as The Binary LLC."

Sheldon gently took her shoulders and turned her to face him, "Are you informing me that they wanted me back then? "

"So it would seem, and since you didn't respond to his request, in due time they contacted me. The rest, as they say, is history."

Sheldon wrapped Niki in his arms and settled deeper into the couch. "I do believe I understand you and our relationship much better than I had. Now that I have told you all about me, do you still want to go ahead with the wedding?"

She snuggled even closer to him and sighed happily, "Absolutely. I'm glad we had a chance to talk like this, Sheldon. I've realized I should be putting forth a little more effort planning our wedding. I never wanted you to think it didn't matter to me."

He kissed the top of her head as he always did when they cuddled, "I know that. Let me start this thing off on the right foot, so to speak. When would you like to get married? Soon? Would you like a longer engagement? What do you want?"

She moved a bit and looked up at him, "Wait a minute, you're part of this, too. Let's both state what we want and then attempt to compromise where we differ. Does that sound acceptable?"

"That sounds most acceptable to me. But, like I said previously, what do _you_ want?"

Niki stared off into space, as if looking into the past, "I had a large, society, wedding when I married Paul. I had a wedding dress that cost thousands of dollars, a guest list that was a who's who of entertainment, society and politics, a grand reception at the Beverly Hilton, and three weeks on the French Riviera as our honeymoon. I most definitely don't want anything like that again. "

He turned to her and asked, "Too, much money and bother? Amy never wanted that. We had a small, simple wedding."

Niki shook her head, "No, that wasn't it at all. I had no say whatsoever in how that wedding was put together. The only thing I got to choose was my dress and even then it had to pass the inspection of the wedding planner. That whole shebang was her masterpiece, not mine. This time, I want to plan everything myself, with you. I want this wedding, whatever we decide, to be _our_ wedding. I want it to reflect us, not some middle aged Beverly Hills matron who fancies herself to be the next coming of Martha Stewart."

Sheldon nodded and then looked extremely thoughtful, "Then we will need to plan this together. Amy and I had a very small wedding in Howard's backyard."

"That sounds like it was nice."

Sheldon got up from the couch and went to the kitchen, where he retrieved a banana. "No, it wasn't. I wanted something a bit grander. I take marriage very seriously and I wanted more of my family there, more of her family there. As it was, the only people there were Leonard, Penny, Howard, Bernadette, Raj, Emily, and my mother and Alfred. That was it." He returned to his seat on the couch, "Can we please have something a bit bigger?"

She kissed him on the cheek to avoid the banana he was eating, "Of course. I don't want a wedding in someone's backyard, no. I also refuse to go to Vegas."

He finished his snack and deposited the peel in the nearby trash can, "Agreed, on both points."

"So what do you want, Sheldon? Let's talk."

He looked at her with a serious expression on his face, "Niki, I want a wedding that takes place somewhere special. I want the location to mean something to both of us. I want to have as many of the people who are special to us as possible in attendance. And I promise you, _we_ will pick the music, the food, and the decorations together. We will not be using a damned wedding planner. Does that meet with your approval?"

Niki's face broke out in a wide grin, "Boy does it! Sheldon, I already have a couple of ideas."

He nodded tersely, "Okay, what are they?"

Her face was taken over by a dreamy look, "I want to be married outdoors, near the beach. Not on the beach, Sheldon, but overlooking it or something. Maybe somewhere in Santa Barbara?"

Sheldon's face became animated and he shook his head vigorously, "Not Santa Barbara. That's where Amy and I went for our honeymoon. The locale we choose has to be about us and only about us."

Niki moved away from him, "Oh, let's not do it there, then. You know, there's a lovely place on the ocean in Pacific Palisades, where a girlfriend of mine got married. The ceremony can be held indoors or outdoors and it can be large or small. It can be whatever you wish it to be. You design it and they help you carry it out. It's not horribly expensive, but it will cost more than a backyard wedding or Vegas. Then again, it will cost much less than an extravaganza at the Beverly Hilton."

Sheldon reached for her and brought her back close to him, "What is this place called?"

Niki pointed to her laptop, which was close to Sheldon. He handed it to her and she quickly booted it up, "Gladstone's. Here, I'll bring it up on the screen."

Sheldon studied the website thoroughly, reading all the pages and viewing the pictures of all their wedding venues. "Niki, that's perfect! Not too much, but not too little, either. Maybe we could go there next weekend and look at it, you know, to see if it's perfect for us."

"Great idea! I also should start shopping for a dress. I suppose I'll get Penny and Bernie to help with that."

He threw her a look of horror, "Oh yes, no dress shopping for me, please."

"Okay, now we have to pick a date."

Sheldon check his phone and asked her, "Hmm…well, it's June now, what month would you like?"

Niki got up to get another bottle of water. This time Sheldon made a motion that told her to get one for him as well. "Not June, that's for sure. The summer is way too hot for me. How about April?"

She came back and handed him his water. He looked up at her, "Is April special to you?"

"It's my favorite month of the year. The weather is wonderful and, well, my birthday is in April. See? I won't have any excuse to forget our anniversary."

Sheldon sipped his water and then pulled her close and kissed her for long while, when he released her he sighed, "Niki Horner, will you marry me in April of next year?

She cuddled closer to him and returned his hug, "I'd love to, it would be my honor."

He kissed the top of her head once more, "Niki?"

"Yes?"

"There is one more thing I want to discuss with you. I seem to never spend the night at Leonard and Penny's apartment anymore. Let's make it official and have me move in here. It seems a better idea than you moving in with me there. As it's only going to be temporary, I think it would work."

She couldn't hide her happy smile, "It would work much better, actually. Do you think my closet will hold all of your clothes?"

Sheldon remembered back to the first time they had danced together, "Well, you do have that spare room; it has a closet, does it not?"

Niki nodded thoughtfully, "Yes, I'd forgotten about that. Your things could go there. But what about all of your other personal affects?"

He replied in an almost hesitant manner, "Well…I do have a room at a storage facility; I could use that for whatever won't fit in here. Remember, we will eventually be moving into that charming home with those amazing walk in closets."

Niki drank a little more water and looked at him warmly, "Yes, and those closets are huge! That house just suits us perfectly. The entire property does. Sheldon? "

"Yes, what is it?"

She put her water bottle down and snuggled close to him, "I'd love to be a fly on the wall and hear all of the conversations that our friends are having regarding this evening."

Sheldon smile contentedly and pulled her even closer to him, "Well, we'll never know, will we? I would hope they would be positive. I also hope Leonard decides to come with us."

"I'm not a betting person, Sheldon, but I have a feeling he will come around."

He looked down at her, "How can you be sure?"

Niki got up from the couch, took his hand, and led him towards the bedroom, "You guys are best friends. I can't imagine either of you being very far from the other. You guys are kind of like Howard and Raj.

He sighed and allowed himself to be led, "Well, I do hope you are correct, if only we were flies on the wall, like you said…"

 **What are their friends discussing about the evening's events?**


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30: Early Morning Conversations

 **Some important discussions go on that lead to some deep thinking.**

Penny woke up hours after they had gone to bed and noticed Leonard still awake, seemingly deep in thought. This wasn't like him. He generally slept like a log. She became concerned, turned on the lamp on the night stand and asked him, "What's the matter, Leonard?"

He sighed deeply and addressed the ceiling, "What do you think about Sheldon's offer?"

Penny sat up in their bed, fluffing a pillow behind her, "I explained that already tonight. It's your career and your decision. I'll back you up whatever you decide to do."

He eyes left the ceiling and he reached for his glasses to better focus on her face, "I know that, but what do you really think?"

Penny smiled at her husband and began to sort through her thoughts, "Okay, Leonard. Why do you want to stay at Cal Tech?"

He shrugged, "It's familiar. I'm comfortable."

She nodded, "Good points. Why exactly are you comfortable?"

Leonard now turned on the light on his side of the bed, "I know everyone, I know the campus, I know the administration, I know my job."

Penny nodded once again, and then continued, "Okay. Those are pretty good reasons, but tell me something."

"What?"

She rolled over onto her side to better face her husband, "How will you still 'know everyone' there when everyone you're friends with will be up at Sheldon and Niki's place?"

His eyes narrowed in suspicion, "Are you taking their side?"

Penny shook her head and took his hand gently, "No. Just painting a realistic picture for you. Raj will be gone, Sheldon will be gone, Howard will be gone, just who are you going to have lunch with? Give this some thought before you make a final decision. Now, let me repeat this, with all of your friends gone, who will you hang out with?"

"I'll find someone."

She rolled back over onto her back and turned her head so he couldn't see the grin forming on her face, "Like Barry Kripke?"

Leonard bolted into an upright position, "Oh god…."

"Yeah. Oh god."

He lay back down and began to talk to the ceiling once more, "Okay, point made. But what about my benefits?"

She took his hand once more, "That's simple. For what Sheldon said they would be paying you, plus what I'm getting paid, we could easily afford private health insurance for both of us."

"What about my retirement?"

She made an attempt to ease his concern, "You're supposed to be the smart one, Leonard, but here goes. Set up an IRA with a bank. That's simple."

He rolled over on his side to face her once more, "So you think I should go with Sheldon?"

Penny performed an eye roll that would have done Sheldon proud, "I didn't say that. I said you should give it a lot of thought before you make your decision."

Leonard rolled back over and started talking to the ceiling once more, "It _would_ be fun to be working every day next to those guys. And I wouldn't have to put in a request to use any of the special equipment weeks ahead of time. Sheldon said for us to turn in a list of things we would need for our research and they would be provided to us."

"Okay, that's good. But if you have an attachment to Cal Tech…" She didn't finish her sentence, leaving that for Leonard to do.

"My attachment was more with the guys than the institution, I guess."

She stroked his hair and kissed his forehead, "Well, Leonard, sleep on it. I have a feeling Sheldon's offer won't disappear overnight."

His face broke out into a relieved grin and he returned her kiss, "You're right, as usual. Sometimes I think you're the real brains in our marriage."

"Dream on, Leonard. I still don't know the difference between String Theory and Loop Quantum Gravity."

He turned off his lamp and laid back on the bed, "Hey, you're making progress. At least you can remember the names now. Not bad for being around scientists only fifteen years."

Penny playfully hit him out of nowhere with a pillow. "Smartass!"

The light from Howard's nightstand lamp broke through Bernadette's sound slumber and woke her up. She saw her husband sitting up in bed and had to ask him in a sleepy voice, "What's the matter, Howie? Why are you still awake?"

He looked over at his wife fondly, loving how she looked fresh from sleep, "Oh, I'm just wondering if I'm making the right decision going with Sheldon and Niki."

She sat up to join him in his late night ruminations, "Okay, why do you think it might be the right decision for you?"

Howard ticked off the reasons on a pad of paper laying in his lap, 'Well, I'll have my own wing of the building to myself, I won't have to share space or equipment with every other engineer at the place because I'll be the only one, and, most importantly, I could probably get a lot more work done there."

Bernie nodded in understanding, "Great. Now why do think it might be a mistake to go there?"

Howard leaned back in their bed and gave a small groan, "That's simple. Two words. Sheldon Cooper. Bernie, be honest. Would you quit your job to go to one where he's the boss?"

Bernie thought a moment before she answered, "I don't know. Howie, are you sure he would he be your boss? Or would he be just a coworker?"

He rolled over and answered her in an earnest voice, "He and Niki own the controlling interest. He'd be my boss all right. He was right, in spite of all our teasing each other we really are friends. But still, Sheldon Cooper as my boss? That has bright red neon flags plastered all over it!"

"Yeah, but you've got to remember that Niki's got a big interest in it, too. She'll handle him; she does that all the time. She's very smart, and she's also pretty nice. I'm sure she'll make sure you're treated fairly.

Howard still sounded wary, "Bernie, what do we really know about her? You spend more time with her than I do. Fill me in, would ya?"

Bernie began to recite all she knew about her new friend, "Well, she was married to a really big shot attorney; he died, so she's a widow. She's pretty smart, she's funny, she's an excellent friend, and she loves Sheldon to pieces. That makes her okay in my book."

Howard responded with more than a little skepticism, "Come on, Honey. Do you really trust her? Would you trust her with Kelly?"

Bernie answered him as honestly as she could,. "Hmm…I've trusted her with my purse a few times. She's honest to a fault. But trust her with our daughter? She's never had a child of her own. I'd have to think about that. But, Howie, Kelly won't be working there, _you_ will. I trust both of them with your future, I really do."

He clasped his hands behind his head and asked her, "So you're saying I should go?"

Bernie turned on her own lamp, "No. I'm saying you should give it a lot of thought. Only you know what's right for you. This could be a huge opportunity for you to develop something on your own and not have the school take most of the profits."

Howard nodded, "I hadn't thought of that. Yeah, I'll give it some thought. I just hope Sheldon and I can get along if I decide to take him up on his offer."

Bernie grinned wickedly, "Hey, if you don't, you can always hide a dirty sock in his office where he'll be sure to find it."

He reached over and took his wife in his arms, "Oh you are devious. That's why I love you."

She kissed him sweetly, turned off her light, and began to nuzzle his neck, "That's me. Devious Inc."

Raj had caught a ride home with Stuart. They were parked in front of Raj's house, talking. Before Raj reached for the handle to open the door, he asked his friend, "What do you think of Sheldon's plan, Stuart? Was I right to say 'yes' so quickly?"

Stuart took the keys out of the ignition and looked over at Raj, "I'm not a scientist, so I don't know. Why don't you tell me, where is your work going to be more satisfying and fruitful? At Cal Tech or at Sheldon and Niki's place?

Raj stared straight ahead through the windshield, "Well, both places, actually, but I'll have my own telescope at Sheldon's place. I won't have to run all over or wait forever if I want to use one. That will be cool."

Stuart nodded slowly and put an awkward point forward, "What about working that closely with Sheldon? Do you think you can do that and stay sane?"

Raj smiled and waved off his friend's concern, "Dude, I work with the guy half the day now. We do fine. He's an amazing physicist."

"Okay, that's good. What about his lady, Niki?"

Raj smiled and shrugged in response to that question, "She's worked with me in the past and still does with me and Sheldon, she's cool. Niki's a good researcher and she's an astrophysicist, like me. We get along great."

Stuart gave a brief nod of his head and turned to face Raj, "So it sounds like it would be a good decision for you. Will it affect your citizenship at all?"

"No, that's already final. I'm just going to miss being associated with a top university. That definitely gives you research cred." He added with a strong sense of confidence.

Stuart watched the cars going by and then asked his friend, "Okay, but will you still be able to publish in journals?"

Raj smiled and assured his friend, "Oh sure. My name is well known among scientific journalists. That won't be a problem. I hope."

"Well, let's move on then. So what would the possible drawbacks be?"

Raj sighed and looked a little sad, "Isolation. There's always someone to talk to at the university. It's a big place. This set up will be much smaller. To tell you the truth, I'm not looking forward to having to listen to Howard and Sheldon go at it every day. It's bad enough now at lunch."

"I thought Sheldon said one of the building's wings would be just for Howard. How much will they actually be seeing of each other?" Stuart asked him.

Raj looked somewhat troubled, "Enough. I told you, it's a small place compared to Cal Tech. Maybe Niki will keep him in check. I can always hope for that. I guess I'm going to have to give this some more thought before I give Sheldon and Niki my final answer."

His friend nodded and put the key back in the car's ignition, "That sounds like the sane plan to me."

Raj took the hint, "Anyway, thanks for the ride. Hey, how are you and Georgia doing?"

Stuart's face broke out in an uncharacteristic smile, "Fine. We're going to visit MOCA this weekend. That will be fun. Then we're getting dinner somewhere downtown. How about you?"

Raj smiled a very contented smile, "I'm going to be checking out the singles action on the Westside after I meet with Sheldon and Niki tomorrow. Now that I'm rid of Emily, I'm free to check out all the ladies I want, and I might want a lot of them."

"Just make sure you don't let the right one get away, okay?"

Raj gave a hearty chuckle, "Yeah, or worse yet, hook up with the wrong one again. That was a disaster. Anyway, I'm going to go to bed and sleep on this before I talk to Sheldon. Goodnight, Stuart, and thanks again for the ride."

Niki woke up to an odd sensation. Sheldon's arms were not wrapped around her as they always were when they slept together. She rolled over and found his side of the bed empty. Concerned, she padded out to the living room and found him sitting on a stool in front of the breakfast bar, staring into his cup of tea. She gently hugged him from behind and asked, "Sheldon, what are you doing up?"

He didn't turn to look at her as he answered in a melancholy voice, "The answer should be obvious. I couldn't sleep."

She moved around to his side and sat on the stool next to him, "Do you want to talk about it?"

He nodded slowly, uncertain as to whether he really did or not, but decided on an honest disclosure, "Perhaps. I'm worried that by having Raj, Howard, and Leonard come work for us, I'll lose them as friends."

Niki gave a thin smile and cupped her chin in her hands, "Yeah, the boss is never everyone's friend, is he?"

"No. And I don't want that."

Niki got up and went to the refrigerator and grabbed the carton of orange juice, "I understand. Maybe we can find a way to work around that."

Sheldon answered her glumly, "I don't see how we could do that. Do you have any ideas?"

She poured her juice into a glass and rejoined him at the bar, "Just one. Do you want to hear it?"

He gave a drawn out sigh and shrugged, "I suppose. I've got nothing to lose, do I?"

She took a sip of her juice and asked him, "Okay, we're partners with Binary, right?"

"Yes, of course."

Niki turned her head and smiled at him, "But we will still pull in a salary. Am I correct?"

Sheldon slowly nodded as he contemplated his tea, "Of course you are. The corporation has been more than generous with us."

She picked up her glass, but before she took a sip she made a brief comment, "Well, not calling the head honcho for months after he asked you to do so made them a bit nervous. We scored big because you forgot about that card."

He suddenly sat up straight and gave her a withering stare, "I did not forget about the card, Miss Smarty Pants. Need I remind you I have an eidetic memory?"

She nodded, hoping to defuse his indignation, "I know that, Sheldon, but why didn't you call him?"

He patiently explained his reason to her, "I never looked at the card. I figured it must have been from someone trying to sell me something. I didn't forget as much as I ignored it and put it out of my mind."

She sipped her juice and responded warmly, "Okay, but that's almost the same thing as forgot."

He shook his head in decisive denial, "No it's not. Sheldon Cooper never forgets."

A tiny smirk appeared on her face that she tried and failed to suppress, "No, he just puts things out of his mind. Anyway, that worked in our favor, so thank you."

"You're welcome. Now, I want to hear about your plan."

She got up to put the carton of orange juice away and threw a suggestion at him from the kitchen, "Here's my idea, we could make Leonard, Raj, and Howard partners, not employees."

His eyes narrowed as he demanded, "How on earth would we do that?"

She did some mental math and answered him, "Well, for a minimal amount, say, one thousand dollars, they could all become minor partners in our business."

Sheldon's expression showed great interest as he asked her, "So, how many shares would one thousand dollars buy them?"

Her voice got excited and sped up as she explained to him, "Outside of the property and equipment, this entire institute is not worth much…yet. We own 60%, so for $ 1,000 we would probably be giving them each a 1 % part of our share. Binary sure wouldn't do that."

"The question remains, Niki, will they allow us to do that?"

Her grin widened, "That's the beautiful part. They can't stop us; they're our shares that we're selling to our friends. We'd still own the controlling interest of 57%, but now the guys won't be our employees, they will be our partners. They won't have an interest in the property or the equipment, but of our business, they will. That sounds pretty fair and decent for all of us, doesn't it?

Sheldon looked as if the weight of the world had been removed from his shoulders, "Niki, may I inform you of something?"

"Of course, my love, what is it?"

He stood up and gave Niki an enthusiastic hug, "I have come to realize that there are distinct advantages to knowing someone who has had great exposure to the legal world."

Niki melted into his arms and softy spoke into his ear, "Sheldon, I have to be honest here, I learned from the best shark in the ocean. Now, let's go back to bed. We have everyone coming over tomorrow night and I want to clean things up a bit here."

He released her and surveyed the room, "May I make a suggestion?"

"Sure, what?"

He put his cup and her glass in the dishwasher and turned to her with a shy grin on his face, "Now that I will be living here, I will assist you in the cleanup process. I find great enjoyment in tidying up and cleaning things."

As they headed back to bed, Niki declared, "Why didn't you tell me that before? I would have moved you in months ago."

 **Will their friends accept their offer of partnerships? Will they even decide to join Niki and Sheldon in this venture? Perhaps the next chapter will give us those answers. Maybe.**


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31: All That and a Bag of Chips

It was 5:30 p.m. and Sheldon and Niki had been busy the better part of the day preparing for their guests. Niki eyed the apartment with an appreciative eye. Having Sheldon help her clean had cut the prep time in half. Meticulous, exacting, yet fast and efficient, he had proven himself invaluable in getting the place ready for their dinner party. "Cooper, you've outdone yourself this time. Everything looks great."

Sheldon repositioned a sofa pillow to just the right angle and spoke, "I told you last night, I derive a great deal of satisfaction and enjoyment in organization and cleaning. In all actuality, your place was fine the way it was. You really should have seen Penny's apartment when she was single. Yours was pristine compared to that."

Niki walked over to him and put her arms around his neck, "I think you meant 'ours' didn't you?"

Sheldon kissed her nose and admitted, "It's going to take me awhile to assimilate that." He then took a step back and asked her, "Do you believe it would be a good idea tonight to tell Leonard and Penny I will be moving in the near future?"

Niki shook her head in amusement, "Sheldon, I think they already have a pretty good idea that's going to happen. Tell me, when is the last time you slept over there?"

He began to tally days in his head, "Not that long ago. What, it was right before Penny's play opened. My calculations tell me it's been about two weeks."

Niki went into the kitchen to check on the pizza baking in the oven, "Yep, somewhere close to that. So, l don't think any announcement that you are moving in with me is going to take them completely by surprise."

Sheldon followed her, "I suppose not. But should we tell them that before or after we make our business proposition to them?"

Niki tried to inject a little humor into the situation and joked, "Oh, I always left the living arrangement discussions go until well after the proposition."

Sheldon looked puzzled, "I'm not sure I understand you."

"Never mind. Let's leave your news for last, shall we? We will have Howard and Raj here, also, so we should keep the evening focused on what concerns them, too."

Sheldon smiled in agreement, "Understood. Now, how do I look? Professional? Successful? Does my look scream, future Nobel Prize winner?"

Niki took a step back to admire him and gave him an appreciative look, "Oh darling, it screams all that and a bag of chips."

"Excuse me?"

Niki went back into the living room and motioned him to join her, "You look wonderful. Handsome, distinguished, and very, very, sexy. You know I love that blue suit."

Sheldon followed her and hugged her from behind, "Why do you think I wore it? I have plans for me and you after our guests leave."

"Does it involve me removing that suit from your body?"

He nodded. "It most certainly does."

She turned to face him, keeping his arms around her waist, "Sheldon, do me a favor and don't mention our late evening plans to Leonard. I think he had quite enough exposure to our love life yesterday."

He nuzzled her neck and spoke into her hair, "Agreed. I won't say a word. However, do we have time for a bit of foreplay?"

"I would imagine so. What do you have in mind?"

"Oh a little bit of this…" he pulled her close, his hands caressing her body, "and some of that…" his hands wandered further south, " and, oh darn, they're here."

Niki disengaged herself and went to answer the door, "Sheldon, hold that thought and I'll get back to you on it asap."  
************************************************************************************

Niki walked across the room to open the door. The Hofstadters walked in and Penny greeted them with a "Hey guys! What's up? I heard something about a pizza being served here?"

Niki gave her pretty friend her best smile, "You heard right. I hope that doesn't hurt your diet. I don't want to accidentally sabotage your career."

Penny did her best to reassure her friend, "No, it's fine. They've actually told me to put on a few pounds. They seem to think I now look too good to play a middle aged woman."

Leonard put his arm around his wife and gave her an admiring look, "I might be prejudiced but I have to agree with them."

While Niki returned to the kitchen, Sheldon made an earnest attempt to be a gracious host and asked the couple, "Leonard, why don't you and Penny take a seat on the couch and I'll get you both something to drink. What beverage would you both prefer?"

Leonard was his usual agreeable self, "A glass of wine for me, please, if it's not too much trouble that is. Thanks."

Penny held up two fingers, "Make that wine for both of us. The diet is officially off!"

Sheldon looked over his shoulder at them and inquired, "Coming up. White or red? Thanks to Niki, we have both in stock."

Penny quickly responded, "White, please."

Leonard nodded to his friend, "Me, too."

After giving them their drinks, Sheldon settled into his spot and waited for the pizza to be served.

Niki stuck her head out of the kitchen and asked, "Sheldon, what are you having to drink?

"I do believe I will be satisfied with some sparkling water."

Niki was trying her best to keep Sheldon relaxed. Things always went better when he was not stressed. She tried to promote this by asking him, "What flavor do you prefer? Or do you want it plain?"

Sheldon grinned at her; he wanted to keep her calm. Negotiations always went better when Niki was in a calm frame of mind, "Oh, strawberry will be fine." He decided to get a conversation started. Awkward silences put everyone on edge. "Leonard, remember those comic books I bought the other night at the comic book store?"

Leonard put down his wine glass and answered, "Yeah, what about 'em?"

Sheldon scooted over on the couch to make room for Niki and their two waters, "Well, I do believe we had a couple of them switched. I ended up with one of your Superman issues and I do believe you may have one of my Incredible Hulks."

"Let me look when I get home, Sheldon. It would be just like Stuart to mix them up now that he's 'in love'." Leonard gave an inward sigh. _I guess we're going to start off by talking comic books. Okay, I'll play along. We've got all night._

Sheldon felt pushed to respond with _something._ He didn't want the conversation to die. He decided to switch the conversation over to Stuart; he was a very safe topic. "Just because you're in love doesn't mean you mind has to go south, or not all the time, anyhow. Look at us. We are still functioning at a high level mentally despite being involved with two of the loveliest ladies in town."

Leonard stopped him, "Sheldon, flattery will not work on us."

Penny disagreed, "Wait, Sweetie, let the man finish what he was saying."

Niki took a drink and put her bottle down on the coffee table, "Sorry Penny, but I'm siding with Leonard. I know bs when I hear it, especially from Sheldon."

Sheldon began to defend himself, "Why would I not think you and Penny are lovely? I do have eyes, you know."

Leonard shook his head and turned to face his friend, "Okay, Sheldon, what's up? You never compliment Penny. So why now?"

Niki gave Sheldon her complete attention, also, "Yeah, Sheldon. Why tonight?" _I'd love to know what that was all about. Sheldon should have let me do most of the talking._

An eyebrow went sky high on his forehead, "Am I detecting a little jealousy, Niki?"

 _Oh god, as if! He'd have about as much luck I would have had getting Brad Pitt when I was younger. Well, I'm still not worried. Am I? No, of course not. "_ Not at all, Sheldon. I'm just trying to figure out your angle here."

A look of chagrin appeared on his face and he mumbled, "I just want to make everyone feel comfortable, that's all."

"Well, I don't know how well it's really working. Leonard seems a little uncomfortable over there." _Nice try, Sheldon, but that one kind of backfired on you._

"Oh all right, I'll stop." He got up to refresh the couple's drinks, "Here you go Leonard, one Chenin Blanc and for you, Penny, a nice Reisling. I hope those are pleasing to you?"

Penny gave him a bright smile, relieved the conversation was moving on, "Perfect Sheldon, thank you." As they took their drinks the doorbell rang.

Leonard brightened; he would not be the sole recipient of Sheldon's tortured attempts at hosting any longer, "Oh, that must be either the Wolowitzes or Raj."

Niki got up and opened the door to find the engineer and his wife along with Raj standing outside the door with wine bottles in their hands.

Howard greeted her with a huge grin and handed her the bottles, "Just thought we'd all bring a little something." His face fell, "Oh, I see you've already got wine."

Niki consoled him with a warm smile and took the bottles from him, "That's okay. I rather doubt that this will be the last time we have you guys over. We'll just save them." She gave Bernie a quick kiss on the cheek, "Thank you guys. That was very thoughtful."

Penny got up and walked over to her friend, "I'm sorry we didn't bring anything, Nik."

Niki put her arm around her friend's shoulders and gave a squeeze, _Better keep her close, just in case._ "You brought yourselves, that's the best gift of all. Now that we're all here, who wants pizza?"

Within minutes, the only sound in the room was the eating of pizza and enjoyable small talk.

Once the pizza had been finished the awkwardness returned. The friends sat in the living room, each lost in their own thoughts, avoiding any direct eye contact.

 _I hope Sheldon doesn't start in with the insults. This is not the time or place for that. This is supposed to be about business tonight. I'm not in the mood to hear about my lack of a doctorate._

 _I hope Howard doesn't think we will be joking around tonight. I have serious business to discuss. I can tease him about his lack of a doctorate another time._

 _Look at her. Her skin is flawless. She doesn't have these stupid freckles like I do. She also has more curves. Sometimes I feel like I'm flat as a board around her._

 _What's up with everyone? Why is Niki looking at me like that? She's usually smiling and laughing. If looks could kill, I'd be six feet under. Howard and Sheldon aren't doing any better, either._

 _I hope Howie doesn't start needling Sheldon and vice versa. Just once, I'd love to see them act like mature adults around each other._

 _That was pretty good pizza. Sheldon was right, Niki is a good cook. He's so lucky. Niki is a good person and he'd better appreciate her. I think I'll go party across town next week instead of later tonight. Tonight is supposed to be for business, or at least I thought it was._

 _Okay, who's going to be the first person to break the ice? I'd like to discuss this move more with Sheldon and Niki, but no one is saying anything. I wish Penny would say something. She's good at that sort of thing. I always depend on her in these types of situations._

 _How do I start? This is starting to get uncomfortable. I usually depend on Niki at moments like these, but it seems her mind is a million miles away. I don't know why she looks upset. Everyone loved the pizza._

 _I can see why Sheldon would be attracted to her. She's a beautiful actress who is starting to get written up in the paper all the time. I'm just a nerdy scientist. I mean, how sexy can a whiteboard and markers be? And her hair is so perfect! Most of the time I just tie mine back._

 _Niki almost looks like she's jealous. That's ridiculous! She's so smart and funny! I don't know even half the things these guys talk about most of the time. I feel so stupid next to her sometimes. She's got all those degrees and was married to that big shot lawyer. Before Leonard, the combined IQ of all of my boyfriends would have been much lower than hers by itself._

 _It's too quiet now. I'd almost like it if Sheldon would insult my education or job. At least we'd be talking to each other._

 _I wish someone would start talking. If Howie gets any more nervous he might end up saying something he shouldn't. We don't need him blurting out something inappropriate tonight._

 _Oh god, I hope my asthma isn't acting up. I think I remembered to bring my inhaler. Let me check. Yeah, it's here. Good._

 _This is getting weird. I could have been out in WEHO, scoring with a sweetie. Instead, here I am, watching everyone avoid talking to everyone else. So much fun._

Niki was the one to finally begin the conversation. "Okay everyone, we all know why we're here tonight. Let's get this ball rolling. I'd like to know everyone's thoughts on moving with Sheldon and me to Altadena." She was met with complete silence. "Come on, people, somebody say something. Anything."

Penny was the first to break the silence, "Okay, I'll talk. I may not be one of the people who may or may not be joining you up there, but I would like to say something."

Niki nodded, "Go ahead, Penny."

"Why are you giving me the stink eye tonight, Nik? I thought we were friends."

Niki hung her head and said, "It's nothing you did, Penny. Honest. It's just that Sheldon made a remark earlier tonight that put me off."

Penny responded with a direct question, "What, that one about us both being lovely? What's so bad about that?"

Niki shook her head, still unable to look her friend in the eye, "I don't know, I sometimes feel so plain and dowdy around you. Nobody lusts after the nerdy girl."

Sheldon turned to her in shock, "Excuse me? Just what have I been doing the past few months?"

Penny backed him up, "Yeah, I think you get more action from Sheldon than the rest of us get from our men combined. And our guys are far from ignoring us. What more do you want from him, a 24-hours-a-day hard on?"

Niki finally met Penny's gaze, "I don't know. Sometimes I look at you, Penny, and I feel as though I don't measure up in the looks department."

Bernadette nodded in agreement, "Yeah, I've had that feeling, too. But it never lasts." She placed her hand on Howard's knee and gave it a squeeze, "My Howie always tries to makes sure I know I'm wanted when that happens.

Sheldon placed a hand on each of his fiancée's shoulders and turned her towards him gently, "Wait, Niki, you don't think I find you attractive?"

Niki hand touched his cheek as she shook her head and explained to him, "No, Sheldon, I feel as if _I_ don't find myself as attractive as Penny."

Penny took a long drink of her wine and then informed her friend, "Well, as long as we're comparing, I never feel as smart or witty as you are. Sometimes I actually feel stupid around you. Think about it, my best friends are all some kind of scientists with high IQs and degrees and I'm just Penny, the girl who never finished community college. How do you think I feel about that?"

Surprisingly, it was Howard who got the evening back on track, "People, stop this! Listen, everyone feels inadequate about _something._ I sometimes feel bad because I don't have a Doctorate. I also would love to be as tall as Sheldon, it' hard to feel macho when you're a short guy. But, look at me. I have a beautiful, loving wife and an amazing daughter! That guy who always puts me down for _only_ being an engineer with a Masters has just asked me to come work for him. Yeah, I sometimes feel bad about myself, but then I look at what I have and I realize how lucky I really am.

Leonard added, "Yeah, I would love to be taller, too. And to not need to wear glasses. I would also enjoy not having asthma or being lactose intolerant. I'm far from every girl's dream man, but my dream girl fell in love with me and we're now happily married. So, I guess it doesn't always suck to be me."

Bernie chimed in after Leonard, "I would love to be as tall and thin as you are, Niki. You'd make a great model. As far as looks go, I hate wearing glasses, but Howie doesn't seem to mind. You don't look like Penny. You can't, you look like Niki, and Sheldon seems to love that. Why can't you?"

Sheldon put his arm around Niki and gave her a hug, "Wait, does this go back to your marriage?"

Niki picked up her water and played with the bottle, "It might, I don't know. Something triggered those thoughts in my head."

Sheldon planted his usual kiss to the top of her head and pulled her in closer to him, "Niki, just so you know, I find you incredibly sexy, attractive, and beautiful. I would never, ever, prefer Penny to you, sorry Penny, because she isn't you. You are the woman I find unbelievably beautiful. I will tell you more later, but to repeat something you told me earlier this evening; in my eyes you are 'all that and a bag of chips'."

Niki smiled tenderly at him and took in what he had just said, "I believe you, Sheldon. I don't know what got into me. You may be right; it may have something to do with the past. Who knows? But right now, we have more important things to talk about and I think we should get to it. Penny, I'm sorry you thought I was mad at you; nothing could be further from the truth."

Howard stood up and spoke, "Well, now that we've got that settled, let's get down to talking about business."

Sheldon nodded, "I agree. How do you wish to start? Niki and I have a proposition to make, but we want to hear what all of you have to say first about joining us in Altadena."

Leonard cleared his throat and began speaking, "Sheldon, I told you guys last night that I didn't want to leave the university because I was secure and comfortable there. After talking it over with Penny, I've come to realize that what made the place secure and comfortable for me were you guys. Raj, Sheldon, Howard, even Niki, you were what made me happy to be there. With you guys gone there really wouldn't have been any reason to stay. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I want to go with you, Sheldon. We've been through so much together, heck, what's one more thing?"

Sheldon nodded without commenting on Leonard's speech. He looked over at Raj, raised his eyebrow, and gave him a slight smile, indicating it was his turn to talk.

Raj looked around the table at all of his friends and began his spiel, "The only thing that concerns me is the thought of having to listen to you and Howard go at it every day. I won't be far enough away from you guys to ignore it anymore if I follow you up there. I'm afraid I'll also miss all the socialization that goes on at Cal Tech. It's a huge place, there are a lot of people to talk to. If I go with you my only social circle will be you guys. But then, who am I kidding, you are my main social network at work and after. So after giving it a lot of thought, the benefits of having a telescope there, easy access to any research materials and equipment I will need, outweighs listening to daily arguments between you two. I guess I'm saying I'm going with you."

Once more, Sheldon merely nodded and then looked over to Howard expectantly.

Howard let out a huge sigh, got up from his seat, and began to pace around the room, "Sheldon, last night I told you I was excited about going to Altadena with you and Niki. Well, I've given it some more thought and I have some concerns. If I go there, you will be my boss. I'm having trouble wrapping my mind around that. It's one thing to go at each other if we are friends, but when you are my boss, that changes the dynamic completely. When your boss makes fun of your education level and your job, well, that's different from when a friend does it. I just don't know if I'll be able to deal with calling you my boss. I'm sorry Sheldon, but that bothers me."

Sheldon stared at Howard a moment and then his face broke out in a warm smile. "Howard just brought up a very important point. As of right now, we are all friends. With me and Niki owning controlling interest in this enterprise and you people owning none, that would make us your bosses. Now, before any of you say anything, I want to tell you that the very idea of being your bosses bothered us just as much, if not more, than it did Howard. He was right, we would no longer be able to banter back and forth and get on each other's nerves the way we do. Both Howard and I would now be held to an entirely different level of interaction. In fact, all of us would be faced with that. I, for one, did not want that. I want you fellows to be my friends and colleagues; I do NOT want you to be my employees." He pulled Niki over to him, "My lovely fiancée came up with a solution to this dilemma, which just goes to show you how important she is to this endeavor. I think I will now allow her to explain it to you."

Niki scanned the room with her eyes and then commenced speaking in a warm, soothing, voice, "What I suggested to Sheldon, and what I dearly hope you agree to, is to make you guys partners in this institute. For $1000, you could each purchase a 1% share in this company. I know that isn't worth much now, but it may be worth quite a bit in the future. Of course, this would prevent us from becoming your employers. Raj, Leonard, Howard, you would become our business partners and that would make you our equals, much as you are now. You would still be drawing your salary, which I assure you will be a healthy one, and you will be pretty much setting your own hours. If you're excited about where you are in your research, stay as late as you want. No one will throw you out. If you've been there late the night before, come in later the next day. What you get out of this will be directly proportionate to what you put into it, even more so than at Cal Tech. We trust you completely on this. You are each going to be in charge of your own hours and research. The only thing we ask is that you let us know what you are working on and where you are in your research. Binary may ask us sometime and we want to be ready with the answers they need. Now, any questions?"

Howard spoke up, "Does this mean we have a say in corporate decisions?"

"Sheldon and I will be the ones meeting with Binary, but we will take your concerns and ideas to them whenever we meet. Like I said, you will be partners in this thing, not employees. So, if you don't like how something is being done, tell us. We will discuss it and present your side of things to them. You _will_ have a voice in how things are done there. Anything else?"

"Would Howie or any of the guys be able to purchase more shares in this place later"

"After offering you gentlemen 1% each, that leaves Niki and me with 57%. Right now Binary owns 40% of this enterprise. I would have no problem with any of you purchasing more shares, but Niki and I must own a controlling interest in the place or the entire agreement with Binary is rendered moot. So you may purchase shares up to a certain point. I believe if Niki and I owned 45% and you guys owned 15% that would still leave me and NIki as the controlling shareholders. For now, though, I think we should start off with and affordable 1% share for each of you. How does that sound?"

Howard had regret in his voice when he replied, "That's a lot of money to invest when you have a child, Sheldon."

Raj came over to him and Bernadette and put an arm around each of them, "That is why I'm going to give you the money, dude. Let me do that and consider it an investment in Kelly's future."

Howard could barely speak but he managed to tell his friend, "I don't know what to say. What do we do next?"

Raj smiled and shook his hand, "Well, you can start by calling me 'Partner'."

Penny looked at her husband, barely able to contain her excitement, "Leonard? Do you think you want to do this? We do have some money saved. It's up to you."

Leonard refused to make the decision without his wife's approval, so he asked her, "Are you sure this is okay with you, Penny?"

"You have my blessing, Sweetie."

Leonard broke out into a huge grin, "Okay, Sheldon, Niki, I'm in. Let me write you a check."

Sheldon looked alarmed and threw up his hands, "Leonard, no! Give it to me Monday at work. I have to draw up the Partnership Agreement first."

Howard chuckled and shook his head, "I should have known."


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32: Wild Hares

Niki and Sheldon were both lying back in bed, serene and sated. Niki reached for his hand and told him, "Well, that went well."

"Of course, it always goes well. We are quite in tune with each other physically."

Niki lay back with a grin beginning to spread across her face "No, I meant the meeting with everyone tonight. I'm so happy they're all happy. I've always believed that friends are life's most valuable possessions. It would have been horrible to lose any of them."

Sheldon turned off the lamp on his nightstand, "I really wasn't worried. I knew they would all come around."

Niki moved closer and laid her head on his chest, then asked him, "How could you be so sure?"

Sheldon gave her a gentle hug and responded in a relaxed tone, "I was confident because the two of us together are irresistible."

"Is that right, sir? I must say, I believe you're irresistible, that's for sure."

Sheldon kissed the top of her head and inhaled the intoxicating aroma of her perfume, "And you have the most satisfying way of showing it." He suddenly turned serious and asked her, "Can you please excuse me, Niki, I don't mean to interrupt our pillow talk, but I have to ask you, when are we going to start getting the place ready to move up to Altadena? I know everyone said they would have their equipment requirement lists in by the end of the week, but when does all the real work begin?"

Niki moved a bit away from him and sat up in their bed, "We have a projected move in date sometime around the end of October. So, in about four months, we should be packed and ready to move. Marcus should be ready to deal with Cal Tech for our services sometime in September. There is no need to inform the college of our plans before then. We are not instructors, any of us, so there is no stringent timeline for them to find our replacements."

Sheldon asked her in a soft, yet concerned, voice, "Are you sure the school will release us?"

Niki gave a shake of her head and reassured him, "Not a doubt in my mind. I've seen these people pull off some deals you would not believe. This is small time for them. No foreign dignitaries or Congressmen to be dealt with, just a well known university. For them? Piece of cake."

He found himself smiling at the ceiling in satisfaction, "Good. I am getting a bit excited to begin our work there. Our very own research facility. I owe that to you, Dr. Horner."

Niki punched her pillow in preparation for sleep and answered him, "Not so, Dr. Cooper. They approached you with the offer, not me. If you had been willing, it would have happened without me."

"I highly doubt that. You have been the mastermind behind getting the right property and convincing our friends to join us. I could never have done that. All I do well is physics and other scientific things."

She interrupted him, "Ahem! I can think of a couple of things off the top of my head that you do very well."

Sheldon actually blushed, glad the darkness did not allow her to witness it, "I do have the appropriate help and encouragement, though."

Niki kissed his cheek and added, "Still, if you didn't excel, I might not bother with that much encouragement. Think about it. It's rather a quid pro quo situation."

"Understood. Now, I do believe we should get some sleep. That was a rather exhausting quid pro quo we just engaged in."

Niki grinned to herself; she could not believe Sheldon had sort of made a joke. "Whatever you say, Sheldon. I could use forty winks, and then some."

Sheldon wrapped his arms around her and moved in close enough to spoon, "Good night, Dr. Horner."

Niki sighed in contentment, "Good night, Dr. Cooper."

Sheldon was woken up by the sound of Niki calling out his name. He turned towards her and in spite of the dim light in the room saw a look of panic on her face, "What is bothering you so greatly at this time of the night?"

Niki voice and body were both shaking as she answered him, "I had the weirdest dream. "

He took her hand in an effort to calm her, "What was it?"

She sat up and began to explain her dream to him, "You and I were living with my family in a big house, only I was a teenager, or at least I think I was. Anyway, my mom looked like she looked years ago. In the dream, we all had separate bedrooms and I snuck into your room because I had this huge crush on you. It was all very hush, hush. I was afraid of my mother finding us. Yeah, I must have been a teenager. Anyway, we started kissing and made plans to secretly meet up later in your room to have a bit of fun. I don't remember why, but I had to leave the house to do something. When I was ready to return home, I couldn't find the house, anywhere. Heck, I couldn't find the neighborhood! I was in an area I had worked in when I was in my twenties, which was totally unrelated to the house we had been in. That house seemed to have disappeared or something. Strange. I was trying so hard to get back to you, but I couldn't. What do you think that dream means?"

Sheldon put his arm around her shoulders and gave a quick squeeze, "I think it means you shouldn't indulge in both pizza and coitus right before you go to sleep. "

Niki sat up in the bed, tears began to trickle down her face, "But Sheldon, it all seemed so real. All I wanted to do was find you and hold you, but you were nowhere to be found. The harder I looked, the further away it seemed you were. I kept calling for you, but you never answered." Niki now began to cry audibly, "I never want to go through that again. It was horrible!"

By now, Sheldon's only desire was to calm Niki and reassure her of his presence. He turned on the lamp next to him and pulled her closer to him, "Sweetheart, I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere. I will make you this promise, any time you are calling for me, I will make sure I answer you."

Niki hiccoughed and snuggled deeper into his arms. She spoke into his shoulder, "S-S-Sheldon, you used an endearment when addressing me. You don't do that."

Sheldon began to rock with her back and forth, as if comforting a child, "Well, perhaps I should start doing that more often. You were crying. I was trying to give you succor. It seems to have worked. Somewhat, anyway. Please don't cry any more. It is immensely distressing to me to see you this upset."

Niki sniffled. She briefly broke their hold and grabbed some Kleenex to blow her nose and dry her eyes, "Who woulda thought, Sheldon Cooper is really a softie."

He gave her the sweetest smile she had ever seen him give anyone, "He is where you're concerned. I'm not so sure about any other time. I do love you, Niki."

"I love you, too, Sheldon. I've known that for a long time, but I just never realized how deeply my feelings went until tonight and that horrible dream."

He reached to turn off the light, "Are things copacetic now?"

Niki nodded, "As long as you don't let me go, I'm fine."

Sheldon lay back down and gathered her in his arms once more, "I'll never let you go, that's a promise."

The next morning, Niki awoke to find herself alone in bed. She sat up and quickly discovered that Sheldon, once again, had prepared her breakfast in bed. As he came through the bedroom door carrying the tray, she felt compelled to ask him, "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

He smiled a secretive smile and asked her, "Am I not allowed to bring breakfast to my best girl?"

Niki sat up in the bed, "Of course, I always appreciate it, but why? Is today a special day?"

Sheldon put the tray down on her lap, "I must confess, today is not particularly special, but I do have a special idea to put before you for your approval."

Niki started her feast by taking a sip of her coffee. It was perfect. She gave him her best smile and encouraged him to continue, "Okay, shoot."

Sheldon took a seat on the chair near Niki's dressing table and watched her eat, "As you most likely know already, next weekend is the 4th of July. Now, as far as I know, we have not made any out of the ordinary plans for that day. Am I correct?"

Niki answered him before putting a forkful of egg in her mouth, "Yes. Is this about how we are going to celebrate the 4th? I thought we were going up to the roof to watch fireworks with Leonard and Penny."

"Niki, there's been a change of plans. Courtesy of yours truly."

Her mind went in several directions at the same time, trying to guess his surprise for her. She failed to come up with any guesses as to just what Sheldon had up his sleeve. "Okay, what's up?" she finally asked him with a resigned sigh.

"This Independence Day, we shall be celebrating with all of our good friends, but not on the roof."

She nodded slowly, being careful not to push her luck; she never knew where his mind would go when he took a notion to plan something special, "Alright. Where will we be having this celebration, Sheldon?"

He motioned her to open the envelope sitting off to the side on the tray, "The answer is in there."

Niki opened the envelope, read it, and gasped. "We're all going to the Queen Mary?"

Sheldon grinned, getting much enjoyment from her surprised response, "Yes, the harbor at Long Beach is putting on a fireworks extravaganza, and I thought, what better place to watch it from than the Queen Mary? Also, what better people to watch it with than our friends and family? We will be watching it from the deck while enjoying a catered dinner and then each couple will be retiring to a first class stateroom for the night."

Niki stared at him in amazement, and finally put the question to him, "Who did you have in mind to join us?"

He rose from his seat and moved closer to the bed, "You will find tickets in the envelope for, of course, Leonard and Penny. There are also enough tickets for Bernadette and Howard, Raj and a plus one of his choice, Stuart and Georgia, and my mother and Alfred, to join us. Does that guest list meet with your approval?"

Niki answered him by moving her tray, getting out of the bed and walking over to him and enveloping him in a loving hug. "Sheldon Cooper, you never cease to amaze and delight me. That is the perfect plan for the 4th and the perfect guest list to go along with it. Do any of them know yet?

"My mother and Alfred know, and have sent their RSVP in by text. I have texted everyone else on the list and am currently waiting for them to get back to me. I can't see why they would say 'no'. This one is on me. Did I forget to tell you that we will be renting a party bus to take us there and back?"

Niki's face suddenly became somber, something wasn't adding up. She asked him, "Sheldon, how are you affording this? I know you had some money put away, but I thought you used most of that to help purchase our property."

Sheldon planted a kiss on her forehead and led her back to the bed and her breakfast. "Niki, you are probably not aware of this, but Howard, Leonard, and I filed a patent on an invention we all took part in bringing into reality. Though the university receives the lion's share of the profits from this little gizmo, I have received enough money from its sales to put away a tidy little sum, separate from any salary or investments. So, to make a long story short, the financing for this excursion was possible thanks to the Infinite persistence gyroscope. Sales have been good in recent years, so I had a tidy little sum stashed away for safekeeping. This seemed like as good a time as any to break open that particular piggy bank.

Niki completely forgot about the food in front of her and left the bed , "Sheldon Cooper, it's now my turn to show you my way of saying 'Thank you'."

He began to protest, "Niki, there's no need to…" Niki took his hand, dropped her nightdress, and led him towards the shower, "oh, that is what you had in mind. Yes, I do believe you owe me quite a bit of thanks at that."

Later that same day, Sheldon and Niki were leaving the supermarket. As they approached their car, Sheldon declared, "Ah, a confirmation for the 4th!"

Niki opened the trunk and glanced over at him, "Let me guess, Leonard and Penny?"

Sheldon shook his head as he looked at his phone, "Wrong Miss Smarty Pants, it's Howard and Bernadette. They want to know if they can bring Kelly along. They will pay for her ticket and let her stay in their stateroom."

Niki started to put the groceries in the trunk as she answered Sheldon, "That will be fine. Kids should enjoy the Fourth of July with their parents. Tell them that sounds great! The Wolowitzes are good people and even better parents. Plus, it's sort of fun sometimes to watch you and Howard go at each other."

Sheldon put a bag in the trunk and then checked his phone as it alerted him to another text coming in, "Here's another affirmation. It's from Stuart and Georgia."

She stopped loading the groceries into the car and smiled, "That's also good. I'd love to get to know her better. She seems very nice and if Stuart likes her, that's all I need. Tell them we look forward to seeing them."

Sheldon's phone went off again with another text, "Raj has just accepted the invitation. He says he is bringing someone special. He won't give her name, but do you want to hazard a guess as to where he met her?"

"I haven't the slightest idea, tell me."

Sheldon read the message off of his phone and informed her, "He says here he met her at the Griffith Observatory."

Niki nodded and handed Sheldon a bag of groceries, "That sounds about right. The guy is crazy about telescopes. Is she a scientist?"

He put the last of the bags into the trunk and closed the lid, "I didn't ask. We will most likely find out more about her on Saturday."

Niki got into the car and said more to herself than Sheldon, "I wonder why Leonard and Penny haven't confirmed yet. I would have thought they'd be one of the first to get back to us. I hope they're coming." !

Sheldon patted her knee and reassured her, "I have no doubt they will be in touch with us in the near future. Why wouldn't they?"

She gave him the explanation that had been swirling around in her brain, "Well, they _were_ planning on having a nice evening on the roof. They may still want to do that. The fireworks look spectacular from up there, at least that's what Penny told me."

"They will be coming, have no doubt."

Niki started the car and looked over at him, a little bit annoyed, "How can you be so sure?"

He gave her a look which telegraphed a sense of superiority, "I told you, we are an irresistible couple."

This time it was Niki who demonstrated an impressive eye roll, "You don't think too highly of yourself, do you?"

Sheldon began to answer her in the same tone one would use to explain a difficult concept to a child, "Niki, I think highly of both of us. Everyone else has accepted our invitation, haven't they?"

As she drove towards their home, Niki responded to him in a pessimistic manner, "I think that may have been more because of the party bus, it's the Queen Mary, and it's going to be free. Free gets them every time."

Sheldon shifted in his seat and sighed, "As my mother would say, 'Oh ye of little faith'. Trust me, Niki, they will be coming."

Niki pulled the car into their parking space and asked him in a voice dripping with annoyance, "What are you, Cooper, psychic?"

He gave her a clear look of disdain, "The mere idea of that is absurd and you know it."

She opened the trunk and began taking the bags of food from it, "Okay, genius, so what's keeping Leonard and Penny from texting or even calling us?"

Nothing was said between them until they reached the apartment and put their bags on the kitchen counter. Then, Sheldon tried to make peace and calm her, "I do not know, nor am I worried about it. Now, let's put these groceries away and plan our dinner, shall we?"

A sudden knock on the door interrupted their conversation.

They yelled together, "Come in!"

The door opened and Leonard and Penny entered the apartment, both dressed as Uncle Sam. When Niki finally got her laughter under control, she asked them, "What is that all about?"

Penny gave her friend a silly grin, "Well, Nik, you guys have an extraordinary 4th planned for everyone, so we thought we'd accept your generous offer in an extraordinary way."

Sheldon addressed his friend, "Leonard, this was Penny's idea, was it not?"

He answered with a sheepish grin, "Well, yeah. But it didn't take a whole lot of convincing to get me to go along with it."

Penny put her arm through his and laid her head on her husband's shoulder, "Doesn't he make a sexy Uncle Sam?"

Sheldon roiled his eyes, "if you insist on saying so. Leonard, you have been corrupted."

Leonard winked at him, "In the most enjoyable way, Sheldon. Penny can be very imaginative in her methods of persuasion."

Niki grinned, "You mean?"

Leonard apologized to the other couple with a slight chuckle, "Sorry, guys. We would have gotten back to you, but we were busy engaging in coitus in the manner of lepores.

Penny looked completely lost, "What did you say, Leonard?"

Niki explained with a laugh in her voice, "Honey, he means Sheldon and I aren't the only ones who've been going at it like bunnies. So I take it this is a 'yes' to our invitation?"

Penny nodded and gave a sly look to Sheldon, "Hey, we couldn't disappoint our fellow fornicators, could we?"

Sheldon moved the grocery bags off of the counter and sat on one of the stools, "Okay, I think we've both made enough bad jokes about the mating rituals of the lepus to last us a lifetime. At this moment, I have something I would like to run by Leonard and Penny."

Leonard took a seat next to his friend, "Okay, Sheldon. We're listening. But try to make it quick. Penny has a matinee to get to in about an hour."

"Do you remember the downstairs of the property Niki and I recently purchased?"

Penny cried out, "Do we! That place is amazing!"

Niki finished for Sheldon, "Well, we were wondering if you'd like to live there. We need someone to be there at night because Sheldon and I will be in the back house. It's got the amazing kitchen, that fantastic master suite, the library for Leonard's comic books, and we could share the pool and spa in the back."

Penny quickly asked her, "How much per month? My play closes in a few weeks and I may be unemployed for a little while."

Sheldon grinned as broadly as he possibly could, "That is the best part. In all actuality, you would be doing us a favor. So, you two would be living there rent free. Is that a feasible situation for you?"

Leonard and Penny stared at their friend, not quite believing what he had just said. Leonard began, "Let me get this straight, Sheldon, we will live there rent free?"

He seemed puzzled, "Isn't that what I just said?"

Leonard nodded, still not completely believing what Sheldon was telling them, "Of course, but why rent free?"

Sheldon got up off of his bar stool and walked into the kitchen to prepare some hot water for tea. He looked back at Leonard, "First, we need someone there at night. With you there, we will not need a night time security officer. If you will be out late or gone that night, Niki and I can cover for you, or just set a very good alarm." He filled the kettle and put it on the stove, then looked at his best friend fondly, "The second reason is simple, Leonard. When Amy died, you and Penny opened your hearts and your home to me. I have an eidetic memory, I never forget. That means I have never forgotten your kindness to me when I was lost. Consider this a well deserved, 'Thank You' from me. Niki agrees with me on this wholeheartedly. So, do we have a deal?"

Leonard stammered, "I,I, I don't know what to say."

"Okay, Sheldon, Niki, we accept your very kind offer. Now, let's all enjoy some tea."

Niki hugged Penny while Sheldon poured Leonard some tea. Leonard suddenly spoke up, "Oh, Sheldon, I almost forgot, here." He reached into his satchel and handed his friend his Incredible Hulk comic book. "I believe you said you had my Superman?"

"Of course. I have yours right here." Sheldon bent down behind the counter and brought up the requested comic.

Niki looked at Penny and commented, "I couldn't imagine one without the other."

Penny grinned and nodded, "Yeah, it would be like Laurel without Hardy."

 **True friends are forever and both Sheldon and Leonard have never forgotten that throughout the years.**


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33: Fireworks; Part 1

 **It's the 4** **th** **of July Y'all! Our gang of good people is preparing to get their party on!**

A fluorescent party bus arrived at ten o'clock in the morning of the 4th to pick everyone up in front of the apartment. Niki took in the radiating blue, purple, and pink colors lining the windows and streaking across the sides and thought to herself, _Sheldon picked this bus out? Sheldon?_

Her thoughts were interrupted by Penny grabbing her hand and squealing in her ear, "Isn't that bus fantastic?"

Niki answered her uncertainly, "Uh, yeah. I guess so. Hey, I'm glad they gave you the night off tonight so you could go with us."

Penny shrugged and waved her hand dismissively, "That's why God made understudies."

Before there could be any further conversation about the bus or Penny's play, Raj came over to the two women and introduced his companion for the day, a tall, leggy, brunette with large, green eyes. "Penny, Niki, I want you to meet Amanda. She has kindly agreed to go with us today. Amanda, this is Penny, Leonard's wife." Penny gave a friendly smile and nodded at the attractive woman. He pointed to Niki, "And this is Niki, Sheldon's fiancé."

Niki gave her a warm smile, "Hello, it's nice to meet you. Raj, has she met all of the guys yet?"

"All of them except Howard, he and Bernie seem to be running a little late."

Penny explained Howard and Bernadette's tardiness, "Well, they had to drop Kelly off at her friend's house first. It seems Kelly decided to she'd rather go to the Rose Bowl fireworks show with her friend's family than celebrate the 4th with us. That may have slowed them up a bit."

Amanda looked confused and asked, "Who's Kelly, if I may ask? I really don't know too many of you very well yet. Just Stuart and Georgia."

Raj explained, "Oh, Kelly is Howard and Bernadette's daughter. Howard is married to Bernadette. He's like, the best dude ever."

Sheldon and Leonard came up behind him unannounced and spoke in unison, "Oh really? The best 'dude' ever?"

Relax guys," he addressed Sheldon in particular, "Howard's my best friend, just like you and Leonard are tight." Raj stopped to explain to Amanda, "We're all friends, but Howard and I are really close, just like those two there are best buds . They even lived together for a long time. He caught her look, "No, not like that. He just roomed with Leonard and Penny for awhile."

Sheldon and Leonard went back to the bus, so Niki decided to change the topic, "So, Amanda, Raj has told us you're a teacher."

Amanda nodded, "Yes, I teach chemistry and astronomy at UCLA."

"Oh, wow. I used to teach astronomy and chem, too! Teaching can be such a battle."

Amanda's brows furrowed, "Oh, I don't know. My students are a pretty sane bunch."

Niki shook her head and continued, "I wasn't talking about your students; I was talking about the administration and fellow faculty members."

"Gotcha. Yeah, every day can be a different battle. Did you ever have tenure?"

Niki nodded as she began to put her bags in the underneath luggage compartment, "Yeah, but it didn't make things much better. Still, I loved teaching, the students were worth it."

Amanda copied her and put her bag in with Niki's, "Where did you teach?"

"Well, I taught at a local high school, then at a community college, and finally at the Keck Science Center."

Amanda gave a sharp whistle, "Wow, you really worked your way up!"

Sheldon came back over and put his arm around his lady, "Niki is a most gifted physicist. It is really no surprise she ended up teaching where she did." He completely failed to see how his comment could have annoyed Amanda.

Niki turned to him and frowned, "Sheldon, hush." She then redirected her attention to Raj's lady, "Amanda, I know Raj said you've met him, but let me introduce you to my fiancé, Sheldon Cooper. He's easy to get along with if you ignore half of what he says."

Sheldon's face telegraphed his surprise at Niki's statement, "Excuse me?"

"Honey, sometimes your brain and your tongue have a little disconnect. It's not a big problem if you warn people first."

Sheldon's eyes narrowed and he stared at Niki, "May I remind you who is financing this trip?"

"Okay, I stand corrected. Let me start again. Amanda, this is Sheldon, my fiancé." She began to purposefully exaggerate, "He is the smartest, most wonderful, most handsome man in the entire world."

He completely missed her note of sarcasm, "Now, that's much better, Niki. Thank you." Amanda's eyes grew bright with suppressed laughter. Niki was starting to like the woman very much.

Suddenly, Howard and Bernadette came racing around the side of the building, faces flushed and both of them completely out of breath. Bernie had enough lung power left to exclaim, "Thank god we made it in time. No thanks to you, Howie."

Penny looked at them in amusement and asked, "What happened?"

Bernie gave her husband the evil eye and tried to stop panting, "Oh, he couldn't give Kelly a quick goodbye. Nooo… he had to drag it out for over ten minutes with instructions on her behavior and how we are going to miss her and…just a million annoying little things. Well, anyway, we made it in time."

Howard attempted to defend himself, "Hey, can't a man be a concerned father?"

"Sure, but when I went out of town last year for a two week conference, all I got was a peck on the cheek and an 'I'll see you when you get back.' What am I, chopped liver?"

Niki quickly found a way to defuse the situation. "Amanda, these amusing people are Howard and Bernadette Wolowtiz. Believe it or not, Howard is Raj's best friend and Bernie is his long-suffering wife. Just kidding, Howard. Howard, Bernadette, this is Amanda. She is going to be Raj's date for this trip.

Penny chimed in, "And we want you both to be on your best behavior so you don't embarrass Raj."

Howard gave her a withering look, "Let me get this straight, Penny, you want me and Bernie to not embarrass Raj? Have you forgotten who all is going on this trip? Like Sheldon, for instance?"

"Oh, Amanda and Sheldon have met, and she was duly impressed." She threw a wink at Raj's new girlfriend as if to include her in the joke.

Bernies voice raised two octaves, if that was possible, "You were impressed? With Sheldon?"

Amanda chuckled, amused by the scene in front of her, "Let's just say I've never met anyone quite like him before in my life."

"And never will again if you're lucky." Howard mumbled under his breath. Sheldon looked annoyed at them all and held Niki a little tighter.

Just then, Leonard appeared in the bus doorway. He had been checking out the inside of the bus, fearing Sheldon's taste, but ending up impressed. "Mary and Alfred just texted me, they'll be here in a couple of minutes. Has everyone, been introduced? Yeah? Good. Amanda, you've met Sheldon?

She smiled at him, "Yes, I have."

"And you're still here? Okay, Raj. She's okay in my book. Oh look, Mary and Alfred are here. Let's all but our bags in the luggage compartment and get ready to party all the way to Long Beach."

Raj responded a little glumly, "Yeah, for like a whole hour."

Sheldon corrected him, "No, my friend. I have given the driver explicit directions to make this trip last at least three hours. So, we are forgoing the freeways and heading to Long Beach by way of surface streets."

Raj brightened considerably and shouted to the others, "Sheldon, we take back everything we just said. You're the greatest! Now,who's ready to get their party on?"

They all stowed their luggage and boarded the bus excitedly. Raj, true to form, went straight to the stripper pole and began to demonstrate his skill at using it. Niki wondered if Amanda would be embarrassed, but to her surprise, she was heartily encouraging him. The bus started, someone put some music on, and Raj began his show.

Wanting no part of the pole action, Niki made her way to the back of the bus and found Sheldon sitting next to the restroom, his mind a million miles away. Niki greeted him, "Hey, stranger. Long time, no see."

He reached out his hand and pulled her down next to him. "It seems like everyone is having a good time already."

"Yeah, thanks to Raj. He sure knows how to get a party started."

He smiled at her warmly, "That is why I invited him, and rented a bus with a pole."

Niki shrugged, "Well, it's not exactly my cup of tea, but to each their own."

Sheldon looked towards the front of the bus, "Amanda seems to be enjoying Raj's efforts. Along with several of our other guests."

"You know, Sheldon," Niki jerked her head towards the restroom, "everyone's going to be preoccupied with the Raj show for awhile. You and me could go back there and …enjoy ourselves in our own way."

Sheldon gave his head a decisive shake, "Not a chance, little lady. First, I am the host of this party. I can't just disappear, even for that. Second, it is much too small in there for coitus. So let's just save that for later tonight."

As if on cue, Leonard and Penny sheepishly emerged from the lavatory, slightly the worse for wear. Leonard's clothes were askew and Penny wore what was left of her makeup smeared across her face.

Niki shot Sheldon a smirk, "Too small, huh?" She then turned to Penny, "Here honey, let me fix your face or Raj will lose half of his audience if you walk up there looking like this." Once made presentable, the couple made their way up to the front of the bus to take in Raj's talents.

Sheldon reminded her, "Yes, too small. Leonard and Penny are much smaller than us. Leonard is what, 5'6? And Penny is not much taller. We, my dear, are 6'1" and 5'9" respectively. We would have pulled a major cramp or damaged ourselves in some other way if we were to have gone in there and 'gotten frisky'."

Niki gave in reluctantly, "Okay, I give up. We'll wait until tonight. But I'm not watching Raj pole dance and that's final. Wait…it's not Raj on the pole anymore. I think, yep, I think it's your mother up there and it looks like she's having herself a good ol' time! Someone must have broken out the booze!"

Sheldon looked to the front of the bus, mortified, and quickly made his way up there in an attempt to stop her.

Niki looked around the back of the bus, desperate to escape the spectacle at the front. She spied Georgia sitting by herself and went to join her. "You not much for the pole, either?" She asked her.

Georgia looked up at her and shook her head, "No, I get stared at enough without going out of my way to have it happen. When you're a black woman dating a very white man, well, people stare."

"I don't doubt that for a second." Niki responded as she took a seat next to her. "It's not a racial thing, but sometimes people stare when I go out with Sheldon, but that's for a completely different reason."

Georgia gave an ironic laugh, "You mean the beauty and the geek bit? Yeah, we get that, too. People gonna judge anything they don't understand, no matter what it is."

There was an uncomfortable silence between the two women until Niki finally asked her, "I don't mean to be nosey, but would you mind telling me why you are going out with Stuart? I think he's a great guy and everything, but I'd like to hear why you two are dating from the source."

"Okay, but only if you explain why you're engaged to the only man that may possibly be geekier than Stuart."

Niki smiled, she liked this woman's honesty and blunt way of putting things, "Okay, who goes first?"

Georgia settled back into her seat and began to speak, "Since you asked first, I'll answer first. I became attracted to Stuart because he's a kind man. My son goes to his comic book store every weekend and they struck up a friendship. My son loves everything Spiderman, so Stuart would always save those comics for him and little Spiderman action figures. One day, I went to the store to thank him and one thing led to another. You know how it is. Those were very sweet things to do for a kid you barely know. It was his kind heart that did it for me."

Niki's eyes went wide and she exclaimed, "Oh my god! Stuart does the exact same thing for Sheldon and his friends!"

"See? That's what's so wonderful about Stuart. He cares the same way for a black teenager as he does for a pack of middle aged white men. It's all the same to him. He doesn't see color or gender or age, he just sees people."

Niki looked towards the action around the pole and saw Sheldon still attempting to pry his mother off of the thing. She turned back to Georgia and told her, "And repeat customers. Just kidding. Yeah, Stuart is a very kind man and I'm glad he found someone who appreciates that."

Georgia looked at Niki and said, "Okay. Your turn. What attracted you to Sheldon?"

"Georgia, have you ever met someone who you can tell your deepest, darkest, secrets to? You know, the kind of stuff you won't even tell your mom? And then when you tell them, they _understand?_ They don't condemn, they don't forgive, they don't judge, they just understand all of your shit. Have you ever met someone like that?"

"I don't know. Maybe." She looked over Niki's shoulder to the front of the bus and Stuart.

"Well I have. And he's standing right over there. Sheldon is the first person who understood the bad parts of my life completely and never judged me on them. I know he doesn't always come off as warm and fuzzy, but he's my best friend in the entire world and I love him to the ends of the earth and back."

"Sounds like you two are happy. Hey, speaking of twos, here comes Sheldon and Stuart. Did the pole dancing get old?"

Niki watched the men's progress towards them and answered, "I think Sheldon lost interest the minute he got his mom off the damn thing. It looks like Stuart was just there because everyone else was. I don't know, grown man swinging on a pole with his shirt off? That gets real old, real fast, for me. But maybe all the drinks they've all had are making that seem amazing or something."

Georgia smiled and nodded, "Yeah, maybe. As for me, I gave up drinking many moons ago."

"Me, too."

Her eyes met Niki's, "Care to tell me why?"

Niki replied honestly, "Recovering alcoholic. You?"

"Same thing. We should talk some more about all of this later." She handed Niki a card,"Here's my number, call me sometime this week and we can meet for dinner or something."

"I'd like that and I will call you. Hey, where's your son? Too cool to be seen with mom?"

She shook her head, "No, he's at his dad's this weekend."

"Divorce?" Niki asked.

"You got it. But it's okay, we're pretty good friends…now."

They were interrupted by Sheldon and Stuart telling them they were two smart ladies for sitting in the back and missing the debacle up front.

Niki looked at Sheldon quizzically, "How'd you get Mary off the pole?"

He sighed and answered her, "It wasn't that difficult. I merely threatened to take a picture of her on the pole and post it on Instagram, for all of her church friends to see."

Niki nodded, "That'd do it."

Stuart finally spoke up, "Can we gentlemen offer you ladies anything to drink? Soda? Coffee? Tea?"

Georgia gave a warm smile to her man, "Just water thanks."

Niki looked up at Sheldon, "Same for me. Say, is there anything to eat on this bus? I'm getting a little hungry."

"Well, I believe we have assorted sandwiches or fruit to choose from."

Niki thought for a minute, than replied, "I'll have a turkey sandwich, how about you, Georgia?

"Is there any tuna? If there is, I'll have that." Stuart nodded, "There is? Good."

Somehow, the bus eventually made its way to Long Beach and the Queen Mary. Everyone emerged in different stages of sobriety. Georgia, Niki, and Sheldon were completely sober, having not touched a drop. Stuart, Amanda, Alfred, Leonard, and the Wolowitzes were not buzzed to any great degree and left the bus under their own power with little trouble. On the other hand, Penny, Raj, and Mary had all seen more sober days and required assistance in stepping from the bus to the walkway of the ship.

Sheldon rolled his eyes at his mother and commented, "It seems that lately I can't take her anywhere without her embarrassing me."

Niki watched Sheldon's mother walk unsteadily towards the ship, supported by Alfred. "Well, I'd just consider that payback if I were you."

Sheldon looked at her skeptically, "I'm not following you. I've never been drunk in front of my mother's friends."

"No, Sheldon, you have had other ways of mortifying her, believe me."

Eventually, they all made it out of the bus, presented their tickets to the purser, and boarded the ship.

Sheldon and Niki found their stateroom easily and unpacked their bags. Niki surveyed the room with a critical eye. She was a definite fan of paneling, but this room had so much of it, it lent itself to claustrophobia. The walls, the closets, the dressers, and the door were all covered in the same color wood and this made the walls seem to close in on her in a slightly uncomfortable way. Thank goodness the room was of good size as that helped dispel that feeling. There were also several porthole-shaped windows looking out over the harbor that helped to erase her unease as well. Still, the idea of spending the rest of the day in the room until dinner was not appealing to her, so she broached the subject with Sheldon.

"How would you like to take a walk and do some sightseeing or shopping with me? I don't think either Penny or your mother is up to it and the other girls are probably getting settled with their guys. So, what do you say?"

He shook his head and looked wistfully at the bed, "I don't know if I feel up to doing any of that. I'd like to stay here and relax a bit. Besides, shopping the way you ladies do it holds little appeal for me. Isn't it enough that we will be going to dinner and watching the fireworks show together?"

Niki picked up a brochure as she answered him, "I suppose you have a point. Still, I'd love to take that tour of the ship they advertise all the time." Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. She went to answer it and found Amanda outside the door smiling at her.

"Hey, I know we didn't plan this, but that room was a little too cozy for me. Want to go do some exploring? Or", she looked past Niki to Sheldon, "are you busy right now?"

Niki beamed at her, "Girl, you're the answer to my prayers. I'd love to go with you, but where's Raj?"

"Sleeping it off as near as I can tell. It's just as well. By dinner, he should be fully recovered. So, where to first?"

Niki put the brochure down, "How about some shopping? I could use a new purse and some souvenirs for my family."

Amanda eagerly grabbed her by the arm, "Great! Let's go. I saw the cutest boutique on the way to our room. Come on, get your purse and I'll show it to you."

Niki called out over her shoulder, "I'll be back in time to get ready for dinner!"

Sheldon walked over to the bed, "Take your time and have fun. I'm quite comfortable with staying here."

With that, the two women hurried down the hall, eager to do some serious shopping and exploring.

Niki came back to the stateroom two hours later, carrying several bags of souvenirs and clothes. She noticed Sheldon fast asleep on the bed and decided to join him. It was still several hours until the dinner and she figured a short nap would do her good. She placed her bags on the floor and lay on the bed with Sheldon. Before she knew it, she was fast asleep.

 **What will the night hold for them all? Will Raj, Penny, and Mary recover in time to enjoy the evening? We'll see.**


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34: Fireworks – Part 2

 **Will the night be magical for all the couples, or will it explode in their faces?**

Niki awoke and looked at the clock on the nightstand. 5:00. Yes it was time to get up and start getting ready for the evening's festivities. She pulled herself into a cross legged position. Next to her on the bed, Sheldon stirred and rolled onto his side, oblivious to the clock, Niki, or their celebratory plans.

She nudged him gently, "Hey, Sleepyhead! It's time to get up. We've got to get ready for dinner and fireworks."

Sheldon opened one eye, "Mmmm? Oh yes, right. I will be up in just a minute. I was having a wonderful dream."

Niki looked down at him with a fond smile on her face, "Would you care to tell me what it was?"

"Not now, I will tell you later, when the time is right. At this moment in time, I believe it is behooves us to take a shower and prepare for the wonderful night ahead."

With that, Niki bounced out of bed and went to the closet and removed the outfit she had picked for this evening. Her entire ensemble presented a patriotic theme. White Capri pants with a red and blue striped short sleeved top. Casual, yet fitting for the occasion. After setting it aside for later, she made her way to the small bathroom which contained an even smaller shower. No fun two person shower tonight. She would be hard put to not hit her elbows on the sides as she washed her hair.

Sheldon rolled out of bed at the sound of Niki in the shower. The remnants of his dream were still clinging to his mind. He sat on the end of the bed and contemplated the harbor from the porthole in the side of their cabin. He ordinarily did not like the ocean, but with Niki he was beginning to find it more than palatable. She loved the ocean so he did try his best to enjoy it with her. If he was honest with himself, sometimes he did not have to try very hard at all. There was something very soothing about the sound of the ships entering and leaving the harbor, and also about the sound of the waves lapping at the sea wall next to the ship. He could get to like this, he decided. He hadn't slept as well as he had today in weeks. He usually had no trouble beating Niki out of bed, but not today. He knew if she had not awakened him, he could easily have slept through the planned dinner and fireworks show.

He finally left the bed and padded over to the closet and removed his clothes for the evening's festivities. He had chosen a pair of dark blue slacks with a red and white t-shirt combination. In his opinion, these seemed a proper fit for the 4th. He stretched and yawned, waiting for Niki to be finished so he could begin his shower. He was happy they had come today, even if his mother had put on a most inappropriate display on the bus. However, it was nothing Raj and Penny hadn't done as well, so that took the sting out of it a bit. What was it about a pole that made otherwise intelligent, rational, people unable to resist wrapping themselves around its circumference? He'd never figure that one out if he lived to be 100.

Niki finally emerged from the shower and Sheldon planted a quick kiss on her cheek on his way past her. He looked at the shower aghast, it was much smaller than he had expected. Oh well, at least it had hot running water and soap, so he would make do.

While Sheldon was in the shower, Niki dressed and began to apply her makeup. She never liked to wear much of it; neither she nor Sheldon liked the overly made up, trying-too-hard, look. She made do with some eyeliner, mascara, and lipstick. That was more than enough for tonight, she decided. Sometimes a natural look was better and tonight seemed to her to be one of those times. Once dressed, she sat on the bed and waited for Sheldon to be through with his shower. Her mind began to wander and she thought again about what she and Georgia had talked about earlier. It was interesting to try and figure out what drew two people together. Now for Leonard and Penny it was easy to discern. Leonard was just a mensch. He had a lot of integrity and kindness about him, not to mention he was extraordinarily intelligent and was extremely patient. It was no wonder Penny fell for him. And Penny was a beautiful person inside and out, stripper poles notwithstanding. Her pretty friend would give anyone the shirt off her back if she could. Niki knew full well that if she had a serious problem she needed to talk with someone about; Penny would be the first person she would call. It hadn't escaped Niki's attention that Penny possessed a bit more common sense than anyone else in their group.

Now Howard and Bernie, that was a tough one. She had pondered this one before and still hadn't been able to wrap her mind around it. Maybe Bernie was the first woman who ever took Howard seriously or something along those lines. From what she had gleaned from conversations with Sheldon and the other ladies, before he met Bernie, Howard had always put on the false persona of a proverbial, 'ladies man' while hiding a lot of insecurity. She always found that hard to believe. As she had made note of before, of all the men in their social circle, Howard Wolowitz was by far the most tame and domesticated. Of course, how could the man not fall for cute, smart, sharp-witted, Bernadette? Why Howard fell for her was easy to see, but why Bernie had fallen for him was still a mystery to Niki. Maybe Bernie had recognized that Howard would be the man who would make a most devoted husband and father. Maybe. Whatever it was, they seemed very happy together, even if Bernie did get annoyed with him from time to time.

Raj and Amanda were still too new for Niki to make any conjectures of why they were together. Maybe they were just two attractive people who shared a passion for telescopes? People got together for less every day of the week. Stuart and Georgia offered no challenge to her as to why they were a couple. They were both kind, gentle, soft spoken, people who always thought of others. Their shared interest in her son and his well being is what had primarily brought them together. Niki really liked this couple and hope to see more of them in the future.

The sounds from the shower suddenly ceased and it was a cleaner, more wide awake, Sheldon who came back into the stateroom wrapped in a towel and walked over to the porthole/window nearest to him. He remained staring out of it for some time before he turned and flashed Niki a brief smile and began to prepare for going up to the Sun Deck for dinner. Niki wondered what was going through his mind, but she knew from experience that asking him would be useless. She also knew that he would tell her everything when he deemed the time was right. She sighed and studied the menu for dinner.

Niki looked over at Sheldon and made a feeble attempt to draw him into a conversation, "Hmmm…it seems we have a choice of Sea Bass, Lobster, or Chicken Marsala for dinner. I'm thinking I will order the Sea Bass. How about you?"'

"I'm not sure I have a preference to be honest with you. I will most likely make my decision when the waiter comes to take our orders." He once again looked out the porthole, lost to the world in his thoughts.

Niki gave up any pretense of a conversation and began to search through her bags for her favorite perfume she had packed inside one of them. Once she found it she put on just enough for its scent to enchant and not repel. She then gave a quick glance at the clock and realized it was time to leave for dinner. Sheldon finished dressing, hastily applied a bit of light, talc-scented cologne, and slipped his arm through hers as they made their way up to the appropriate deck to find their assigned table. Niki was both relieved and overjoyed when she discovered they were sitting quite close to all of their friends. She surmised that that had most likely been Sheldon's doing. She became concerned, though, when he failed to join her at their table and instead walked over to the railing and returned to staring out over the water. To Niki's chagrin, Sheldon seemed to become lost in thought once more.

He had exhibited this action on several occasions in the past. He referred to it as being in 'The Zone'. She knew what that entailed first hand to some degree. Niki knew that she could also be lost to the rest of the world for hours when pondering some theory or proof in her head. The difference between Sheldon and her was that she knew when to refocus on the people and things around her and when it was fine to stay in 'The Zone'. At work she and Sheldon could go for long stretches of time without engaging with each other for this very reason. But what made a good research partnership did not always work well in an interpersonal relationship. In other words, Niki knew when and how to emerge from deep contemplation and rejoin the real world while Sheldon seldom did. And there was no forcing him to speak, either. That was a surefire way to irritate him tremendously. She usually called one of her friends, like Penny or Bernadette, and went somewhere with them when this happened. Sometimes she just surfed the web or read a book. She never saw 'The Zone' as a real problem until they found themselves in social situations such as this, and Sheldon became, for all intents and purposes, a deaf mute.

Out of the corner of her eye, Niki saw Howard and Bernadette emerge from the lower deck and take their seats at a table very close to the one assigned to her and Sheldon. She also noticed that Bernie was wearing a very frustrated and perturbed look on her face. Niki felt a sense of kinship with her friend. _At least I'm not the only one pissed at my mate._ Howard seemed glued to his phone and was sending and receiving texts at a rapid rate. _I wonder what's going on there. That isn't like Howard. Oh well, none of my business, I guess._

Niki caught Bernie's eye and waved. Bernie left Howard to his phone and joined Niki. "I've just about had it with Howard, I really have."

Niki was shocked. Bernie always referred to him as Howie, unless she was at the end of her rope, then it was Howard. She asked her in a concerned voice, "What's up with him? Besides his phone, that is."

Her small friend's face was one, big, frown, "That's just it. His phone. He hasn't stopped texting Kelly for the last two hours. I thought tonight would be a wonderful, romantic evening for the two of us. But I guess he had other ideas."

Niki sipped from her water glass and commiserated with Bernie, "I feel your pain. I mean, is it asking too much to have them acknowledge our very existence? I get the feeling I could leave right now and Sheldon wouldn't notice until I was already home."

The two women each looked at their respective significant others and shook their heads. Howard on his phone and Sheldon by the rail, looking out to the horizon. Bernie was the first to speak, "You know, if we were single, we could go over and flirt with the bartender. He's a real cutie."

Niki gave her friend a wry smile and brought her back to reality, "Yeah, but we're not single, at least you're not and I might as well not be. And besides, no matter how annoying they may be, we love those two guys to death."

Bernie nodded sadly, "Yeah, you're right. Life can be cruel, can't it?"

At that moment, Penny and Leonard came on deck, arms entwined and staring deeply into each other's eyes. Bernie looked at Niki and hissed, "I think I'm going to lose my lunch, right here, right now."

Niki's head swiveled and she warned Bernie, "Oh wait, it gets worse, honey." Raj and Amanda appeared next from below decks and from the looks of it; they had been enjoying themselves in their stateroom more than a little bit.

Bernie exploded with, "Just shoot me, just shoot me now." as she spied Stuart and Georgia emerging from their room with that 'we just did it for hours' look about them.

Niki took it all in and dropped her head on the table, "If I still drank, I would be calling for a bottle of their finest wine right about now."

Bernie propped her chin in her hands and added, "Could you make it a magnum? I'd be right there with you."

The last couple to appear for dinner was Alfred and Mary and they seemed happy, but not lost in the very essence of each other like the others preceding them. That was a bit of a relief to both Niki and Bernadette. Neither woman would have been able to keep her composure if another lusting, adoring, couple had emerged from the depths of the ship.

A loud chime announced to all persons on board that it was time to take their seats and prepare for dinner. Bernie reluctantly went back to her table and Howard, while Sheldon briefly came out of his inner world and found his seat next to Niki. She noticed an intense conversation going on between Bernie and Howard and could only imagine what was being said. As for Sheldon, his eyes still held a faraway look and he remained silent. As she looked around further on the deck, she noticed that all of their friends were in deep conversations with their partners.

Howard attempted to explain his actions to his wife, "Bernie, I'm sorry. I'm just trying to be a good parent."

Her frown deepened and her voice raised an octave, "By doing what? Tracking your daughter's every move? Howard, she's with good people. She's safe. Let it go."

"But Bernie, I'm her father. I'm responsible for her safety. How can I just let that go? Wait, Kelly just sent me a text. Let's see what she said." Howard read the text aloud, _Daddy, stop with the texting, please. It's starting to get weird. Everyone's staring at me. I love you, but STOP._

Bernie placed a sympathetic hand on his arm, "Howie, you have to let her grow up. What are you going to do, text her during her dates? Don't say it; I won't let you do that. Let her enjoy her time with her friends. We'll always be her parents, nothing can change that. Think about it, do you want to end up like my father, or your mother?"

Howard visibly blanched at the thought, "You're right. I don't want us to turn into our parents. Just let me text her an apology and then we've got the rest of the night to reconnect with each other. I do love you, Bernie. You are beautiful, intelligent, and you put up with me. Not many women would do that."

"Oh, it's not so hard. It's not every woman who gets to sleep with a hunky, bona fide astronaut every night. Besides, he takes me along to a lot of great places, like this. Now, Howie, what do you want to order for dinner?"

Leonard looked lovingly at his wife, "Have I told you lately how much I love you, Penny?"

She peered at him over the top of her water glass, "Yep, but tell me again."

Leonard chuckled and told her, "I love you to the moon and back, that's how much. I'm glad you took the night off to come here with me. I can't imagine doing this without you."

Penny put down her glass and looked seriously at her husband, "Hey, a career, even one you've dreamt about forever, is one thing. But a loving husband is another. You are worth more than any role I could play. You are real life and that is always more valuable than a character on a stage. I do want to discuss something with you, though."

Leonard gave her a slightly worried look, "Okay, what is it?"

"Relax, Leonard, this is going to be good. I think. The Glass Menagerie closes in about three weeks, and my agent and I have been fielding some offers from different companies."

He nodded, "Okay."

Penny gave a little sigh and continued, "I've narrowed it down to three possibilities, but I want to discuss them with you first."

He relaxed a bit and responded, "Thank you, honey. That makes me feel good that you want my input on this."

Penny reached across the table and took his hand in hers, "That's because this will concern you, too. Leonard, have you ever thought about us starting a family?"

Leonard stared at her, not quite believing what he had just heard, "Sure, sometimes. But I only want what you want."

Penny released his hand and shook her head, "No, Leonard. Not this time. I want to know what _you_ truly want. I need to know what you think about that. Not what I think about it, I already know that. I want your thoughts on it."

Leonard thought hard for a moment and then answered her, "Okay, Penny. Here's what I think. If you're really serious about this, then yes, I'd love to start a family."

Her face lit up as if illuminated from within, "Fantastic! Now, I will have about a month off between plays, so I thought we'd try to get things rolling then."

"Okay, I like that idea, but won't a pregnancy kind of complicate your career? As far as I know there aren't too many roles written for pregnant leading ladies."

Penny laughed, "I know, right? But, one of the roles I have been offered will have a costume that will easily hide any baby bump."

Leonard's curiosity was piqued and he asked her, "What role is that?"

Penny took another drink from her water glass and responded to his question, "Okay, I've been offered three different roles by two different companies. Pasadena has offered me two; Maggie from Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and Desdemona from Othello."

Leonard gave a low whistle, "Well, they certainly must think you can stretch as an actress. Those are two very diverse roles."

"Yeah, and I'm ready to turn them both down for different reasons. If I get pregnant, Maggie is not a good role to have when you want to hide the fact that you are with child. Some of the costumes are very skimpy and seductive. I don't think I could do that beyond a certain point. Now Desdemona would be possible, but the costuming would have to be altered as time went by. And that play is scheduled to run awhile. I'm a little unsure of that one."

Leonard gave her an intense look and retook her hand, "So, what's the next role?"

Penny answered him with a slight hesitation in her voice, "Jocasta in Oedipus Rex. It's perfect. I'd play one of the leads, and seeing as how I'd be in Grecian robes the entire time; no one would be wiser that I have a bun in the oven. But, here's my dilemma, this play is being cast by a director not affiliated with a local stock company and will be put on in L.A., so my hours may be longer. I'm just warning you, I probably won't be home as much as I am now. However, the money will be much better than what I'm making now and the role will give me a much broader audience and greater press exposure."

Leonard looked down at their hands, "I don't mind about the hours as long as you're happy. But that's a pretty challenging part. Do you think you're up for it? I mean if you're pregnant and all."

Penny looked at her husband with love written all over her face, "I think so. Besides, being a mother is the one part I really want to take on more than any other. I'm sure I will be fine. I have a great doctor who will most likely refer me to a great OBGYN, so I'll be okay. Now, are you okay with this?"

Leonard's face lit up with a beaming smile, "More okay than I've ever been in my entire life. Maybe we can get started on Baby Hofstadter after the fireworks."

Penny gave a big grin and squeezed Leonard's hand, "There's a reason you're called a genius, Leonard. And that just proved it." Their long kiss was broken by a waiter coming up to their table and inquiring what drinks they'd like to order with their dinners.

Stuart sat at the table with Georgia opposite from him. He doubted he had ever been this nervous in his life. Okay, maybe the first time he had asked her out, but in reality, he knew he was more on edge now. He still couldn't believe this beautiful woman was dating him. Georgia was small, slight, and had extremely attractive eyes; they were dark with seemingly endless depths. He sometimes found himself getting lost in them. He had been a little concerned as to what his friends would say about him dating a woman of a different race, but he now realized how silly that worry had been. No one had thought anything of it. They had all been extremely happy that he had finally found someone. He felt a little bit bad that he had thought his friends would make that an issue. Suddenly, he came out of his musings and noticed her staring at him with concern. He supposed he had gone into some sort of trance. Well, he had to talk to her sooner or later; she was his date, after all.

He cleared his throat and began to speak, "I want to say 'Thank you' for coming with me. It means a lot to me to have you here."

"Hey, I'm just glad you asked me. You have a nice group of friends and I'm having a really good time. Stuart, are you okay? You look a little pale."

Stuart started to play with his napkin and finally looked up at Georgia, "I'm fine. I just, ummm, I mean I was wondering, uh, if you would perhaps, well, we've been seeing each other for awhile now and I was just thinking that, well, maybe we could, you know…aw heck with it. Georgia, would you be my girlfriend?"

She gave him a look of surprise, "I had the notion that I already was. So, of course I'll be your girlfriend. Is that what you were all wound up about? Relax, Stuart. I love you and being your girlfriend is something I truly want. Now that we've got that settled, let's just enjoy our dinner and the fireworks show. Does that sound good to you?"

Stuart moved his chair closer to hers so their shoulders touched, "That sounds absolutely perfect to me. Unlike my usual evenings before I met you, I am perfectly content. Here comes our waiter, so let's get ready to order."

Raj looked intently at Amanda. He had never, even at the height of his relationship with Emily, felt this strongly about a woman. She shared his love of stars, the universe, cooking, romantic movies, and telescopes. She also adored Cinnamon and spoiled her to death. All of that made Raj's heart feel close to bursting every time he was around her. Never had a woman had such a strong hold on his heart. While he had often cheated on Emily, he could no more imagine cheating on Amanda than he could imagine cutting off his right arm. He finally understood why Howard, Leonard, and Sheldon all walked around with these stupid smiles on their faces half the time. The right woman made it about a whole lot more than sex. Well, he had decided that tonight was the night he was going to make his feelings for Amanda known. He wanted her to know how he felt, for better or worse.

Raj looked across the table at his date and nervously began to talk, "Amanda, you look very pretty tonight."

She gave him a loving look and threw in a flirtatious wink, "You look pretty handsome yourself, lover."

Raj continued, his voice wavering more the longer he spoke, "Look, I've been thinking, we seem to get along pretty well and you love a lot of the same things I do. I guess what I'm saying is that I'm really starting to have feelings for you. I want you to be my girl and I promise you, I won't make the same mistakes I made in my last relationship."

Amanda cocked her head at him curiously, "Raj, are you trying to say you love me?"

"Uh, yeah. I mean, yes, I do. Love you, I mean."

Amanda's smile seemed to cover her entire face, "It feels like I've been waiting forever to hear you say that. And for the record, I do believe I'm beginning to fall in love with you, too."

Raj sighed in relief and commented, "I may be wrong, but I think there's going to be fireworks going off someplace besides the sky tonight."

Amanda move close to him and ran her hand up his leg, then spied their waiter approaching them, "You thought right, mister. But let's compose ourselves for now and get ready to order dinner."

Mary turned to Alfred and told him in a hushed voice, "You know what you did to me right before we came up here?"

He nodded, "Of course I do, Mary. I haven't forgotten that yet. I'm not _that_ old."

"Could you do it again after the show? I know I'm askin' for it a lot, but, you know…"

He took one of her hands in his, "I will have no problem with that, if you need it, you need it."

She looked at him appreciatively, "Thank ya' darlin'. I'll even help you find that darn liniment. I swear, that is the last time I will try pole dancin'."

"I warned you that your back could go out. Now, relax and enjoy the show. I'll rub more Ben Gay on it when we get back to the room."

Niki saw their waiter approaching and knew she needed to get Sheldon out of his trance quickly. But how? He was totally tuned out to everything at this point; the crowd, the waiters, his friends and family, all seemed to be completely off of his radar. Suddenly, she remembered his assurance from the night of her nightmare _, I will make you this promise, any time you are calling for me, I will make sure I answer you._

She decided to put his promise to the test and she called out to him, "Sheldon! Please come back to me."

As if awakening from a trance, he shook his head, turned, and finally focused on his lady. "I apologize for that. My mind has been elsewhere this evening."

"Yeah, I've noticed. Please tell me, what's been on your mind? I think I have a right to know."

"You are correct. You have every right to know and I will reveal all of it to you after the fireworks show. I need you to be a little more patient for a short while longer. Do you think that is within the realm of possible for you?" he asked her with true concern in his voice.

"Of course, I was just getting a little worried about you."

"No need to worry. I am quite fine; I have just had a few things to ponder."

"Okay, so what are you going to order for dinner? Our waiter is at the next table and should be here shortly."

He studied the menu and filed it to memory immediately, "I do believe I will have the chicken. You can't go wrong with chicken. It's the safest choice. What will you be ordering my dear?"

"I already told you earlier, Sheldon. I want to order the Sea Bass."

"Of course, I do remember our conversation in the stateroom. Sea Bass it shall be."

In short order, all the dinners and drinks were both ordered and served. As everyone ate, patriotic songs were played loudly from strategically placed speakers around the deck. Howard spoke for them all when he commented, "Overkill a bit?"

Finally, dinner was finished and everyone sat back and readied themselves for the advertised, "Fireworks Extravaganza". Niki snuggled closer to Sheldon as he moved his seat next to hers and put his arm around her shoulders. Whatever had been on his mind did not seem to be bothering him now. Maybe his preoccupation hadn't been about something negative. Who knew? Sometimes the man was impossible to read. All she knew was that he was back to being his sweet, romantic self and that was enough for her.

The other couples followed suit and soon they were all cuddled together watching the fantastic fireworks show the city had put on. There were constant oohs and ahhs and even whistles for the pyrotechnics above them that were extraordinarily thrilling and colorful.

When the show ended, the crowd started to disperse. Most people went back downstairs, but Sheldon stood up and offered his hand to Niki, "Dr. Horner, would you care to join me for a stroll around the deck?" he asked her in a soft, gentle, voice.

Niki beamed up at him, "I would love to, Dr. Cooper."

They began to traverse the Sun Deck, both of them looking up at the stars in wonder and squeezing the other's hand from time to time. Finally, Sheldon stopped and turned to look at Niki. He then turned to look back out over the ocean, only this time, he seemed to be mumbling something to himself. "Not a backyard, not the Beverly Hilton, close to the beach, but not on it. It's perfect."

Niki had not been able to make out what he had been saying so she asked him, "What's up, Sheldon? What were you just saying? I couldn't really hear you."

He turned to her and held her close to his chest, "I was saying that this ship is not someone's back yard, it's not the Beverly Hilton, and it is both close to the beach but not directly on it. Does that ring a bell?"

It did, indeed. Niki mouth dropped open and she asked him, "Is that where your mind has been most of the day? Thinking about our wedding?"

"Not only thinking about it, planning it. I even had a quite vivid dream concerning it. While you were out with Amanda, I made a few phone calls and retrieved a few brochures about their wedding packages on this ship. Niki, this place is perfect for what we both desire for our wedding. In addition to all that I mentioned before, they will provide us with a wedding planner that will design our dream wedding _with_ us, not for us." He pulled out several pamphlets from a rack on the wall next to them and showed them to her. "Look, they will provide us with both the ceremony and the reception, designed to our specifications. We will be given a dance floor and a dj for after the ceremony, along with a three course dinner. Niki, this place is beyond adequate for our needs, it is perfect! We will be able to invite up to 100 guests, the perfect size to enable us to invite all of our friends and both of our families. The reception will also include our choice of tray passed hors d'oeuvres, complimentary champagne, a one hour open bar, and a wedding cake of our own design. And, hang on tight little lady, they will throw in a free stateroom for the night for the bride and groom. What do you think?"

"Wait a minute, Sheldon. You've been lost in thought all day about our wedding?"

He nodded an affirmation, "Yes. One can never plan too far ahead for such events. So, what do you think?"

She looked at her love with tears of joy filling her eyes, "I think you are the most wonderful, romantic, amazing man in the entire world and I would love for us to be married here. You're right, it's perfect, and it will be _our_ wedding. _We_ will be designing it. Yes, let's have our wedding right here!" She then threw her arms around his neck and they both lost themselves in a long, lingering, kiss.

A voice rang out from above them, "Hey you guys, let's see a little moonlight between the two of you!"

They both looked up to see Leonard and Penny on the deck above them. Penny turned to Leonard and said, "See, I told you they were going for the Horniest Couple Award."

Niki called up to her, "Hey, it wasn't us who did it in the bus restroom!"

Leonard admitted sheepishly, "No we didn't. I mean, we tried but the place was way too small for that."

Sheldon turned to Niki, "I told you it was not large enough for coitus."

Oh my God!" Penny squealed, "You guys actually considered it, too?"

Niki told her friend a little white lie, "And we would have tried it, as well. But you guys beat us to it."

Penny gave a giggle and waved to them, "Well, we'll leave you guys to your necking. We're going back to our room to continue what we started on the bus. Goodnight, you guys."

Niki waved to their friends and gave Sheldon a wanton look, "You heard the lady, resume necking."

He wrapped her back in his arms, "Yes ma'am."

After a few minutes, Sheldon broke his hold on her and took her hand in his. "Niki, if you would, please close your eyes and follow me."

This reminded her eerily of that night at Disneyland, where Sheldon had arranged a dance for them. She wondered if he had something similar in mind this time.

When he eventually let go of her hand and told her to open her eyes she stared around her in wonder. They were back where they had started, but the dining area had undergone a magical metamorphosis. Gone were all the tables and chairs from a mere hour earlier. The entire dining area had been transformed into a large dance floor, complete with romantic lighting. "Sheldon, what's all this?"

He shot her a worried look, "It doesn't meet with your approval?"

Niki turned in a circle to take in the tableau surrounding them, "It's not that, I'm just wondering what you're springing on me this time."

A mischievous smile appeared on his face, "Oh, you wish to discover what is going to happen next?"

"If you don't mind, yes."

All right." He grabbed a hidden remote from a nearby planter and aimed it at a spot slightly above their heads. Suddenly there was music and the rich voice of Mel Carter singing 'Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me' filled the air around them. He retook her hand and bowed to her, "May I have this dance, Dr. Horner?"

She fell into his arms and lay her head on his shoulder, "For the rest of my life, Dr. Cooper."

They began to dance to the romantic strains of the song as if they were the only two people in the world, and to them, for a few minutes, they were.

Two sets of eyes watched them from the shadows. Leonard shook his head, turned to his wife, and said, "I still can't believe it's the same guy."

Penny smiled to herself, "I've said this before and I'll say it again, it seems our Pinocchio has turned into a real live boy."

It was a somber group gathered on the bus ride home the next day, there was no pole dancing, no drinking, and no boisterous activity at all. Every single couple on the bus was subdued and quiet, having had little to no sleep the night before. Unlike the trip out, this time, Sheldon had instructed the driver to please use the freeways instead of side streets.

 **Everything seems perfect with our two lovers, but will someone come along and try to throw a monkey wrench into the works? Could be.**


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35: The Intern

 **Sheldon and Niki's Worst Nightmare**

One Monday morning, a couple of weeks after their 4th of July excursion, Niki entered the office she shared with Sheldon and nonchalantly checked the mail she had picked up from her university mailbox. She threw most of it in the circular file, but remained focused on one envelope in particular. It was from the President of the college and it was addressed to both her and Sheldon.

She looked over at her partner, whose attention was fixated on his computer screen while he sipped his cup of tea. "Sheldon," she asked him, "did you get this letter from President Siebert's office?"

He looked up at her and rechecked the mail scattered across his desk. "I don't believe I did. Why on earth would Siebert send a letter to you and not me? I do hope everything is satisfactory between the two of you."

"Sheldon, it's addressed to both of us. Why it ended up in my mailbox only is beyond me. Perhaps your copy was lost?"

He looked back at his computer monitor and responded to her in an offhanded way, "If it was, it wasn't me who lost it. Some of the personnel they hire at this institution seem to possess half a brain. You would think they would hire the best and the brightest to work at one of the top universities in the country, but it seems they think differently than I on that matter."

Niki nodded sadly, "I'm there with you on that point. Anyway, I wonder what he has to say."

Sheldon sighed and looked over at her once more, "I do believe the standard protocol in such situations is to open the envelope and read the enclosed message. So I would strongly suggest you do that if your curiosity continues to mount."

Niki threw him a full on smirk as she walked to her desk, "You know, you're getting pretty good at that sarcasm stuff, my friend."

His face held a completely blank expression as he responded, "Excuse me. What?"

"Never mind." Niki took a short sip of her coffee and opened the envelope, "Let's see what he has to say."

Sheldon's attention returned to his monitor, "Will there be any further need to interrupt my work?"

Niki eyes flew wide open as she threw Siebert's letter down on the desk as if it were covered in a lethal poison, "Shit yeah! Sheldon, they're sending us an intern!"

He looked up, his expression one of both alarm and disbelief, "Oh good lord, no!"

"Oh good lord, yes. This letter says said intern should be arriving at our office sometime this morning."

Sheldon's head hit his desk, "God have mercy."

Niki held her own head in her hands, "On their soul or ours?"

After a time, they both collected themselves and began working. There was nothing else to do, really. Maybe the promised intern would never arrive, maybe Siebert had been pulling a practical joke on both of them, maybe the letter had actually been intended for someone else, or maybe the intern would actually be helpful to them. When she put the last point forward to Sheldon he had answered with a snort and a look of complete and utter derision. Niki did the wise thing at the time and let the matter drop.

Shortly before lunch, a soft knock came on the door. The two physicists looked at each other in fear.

"You answer it." Sheldon told Niki.

She shook her head in refusal, "No, you answer it; your name is first on the door.""

Sheldon stared down his nose at her, "That has nothing to do with anything. Your desk is closer."

Niki pretended to be studying some papers on her desk, "I'm busy right now."

Sheldon pick up some documents of his own, "As am I."

She looked at him hopefully, "Rock, Paper, Scissors, Lizard, Spock?"

His answering look was born of both frustration and impatience, "Now you're just being ridiculous. Niki, get the door."

Niki tapped a pencil on her desk impatiently, "Whatever happened to the Magic Word?"

Sheldon rolled his eyes and capitulated to her request, "All right, if you insist. Niki, would you _please_ open the portal to this room?"

She got up from her desk and went to the door and opened it. The young girl waiting there expectantly was quite tiny with medium length curly brown hair tied back in a pony tail. She sported a pair of large framed glasses and a wide smile.

A pugnacious voice asked, "Is this Dr. Cooper's office?" The young woman seemed to be looking beyond Niki and into the office.

Niki smiled warmly and extended her hand, "Yes, but it's my office, also. I'm Dr. Horner."

The intern walked past her without a greeting and headed straight for Sheldon's desk. "Dr. Cooper, it's a pleasure to be working with you." She held out her hand, "I'm Merla Krane."

Sheldon thrust a thick stack of paper of papers into Merla's outstretched hand and said, "Make me three copies of each page. Collated and stapled." As the young woman stood frozen in shock by his desk, Sheldon used a show of sarcasm he was fully aware of when he advised her, "Anytime today would be fine."

Niki warned her, not without some inner satisfaction, "I'd get moving on that PDQ if I were you."

Merla glared at Niki while telling Sheldon, "I'll be right back with this, but first, where is the copier, Dr. Cooper?"

If a person had looked closely, they may have observed actual steam coming out of his ears, "Do you mean to tell me that not one person in administration showed you where the copier was before you presented yourself to this office?"

Merla silently shook her head. She had supposed she would be helping Dr. Cooper with his actual work, not making copies for him. Her disappointment was written plainly across her face.

Even Niki felt intimidated by him at this point. She almost felt sorry for the girl. Almost.

Against her better judgment, Niki decided to be the bigger person, sort of, and informed the poor soul, "It's down at the end of the hall, in the main department office. Just walk out the door and make a right. You can't miss it." She scribbled something quickly on a Post It note and handed it to the intern, "Here's our code number for the copier."

"Okay. I'll be right back, Dr. Cooper." Sheldon never looked up from his work and he waved her off with his hand.

By the time Merla had returned with the copies it was time for lunch. Sheldon looked up from working on his whiteboard and checked the papers, nodded, and then pulled a bill from his wallet. "Merla, do you know where the commissary is?"

She nodded eagerly, "Yes, Dr. Cooper."

"Fine. Now, I want you to go there and get us two chicken taco salads with two bottled waters. Here," he handed her the money, "and don't be all day about it. We have work to get back to."

She gave him a warm smile, which puzzled Niki, "I'll be back in a jiffy. Any particular dressing to go with them?"

Sheldon went back to his white board and answered her without turning around, "No, we have plenty of them here in our refrigerator. Just bring us back the salads and waters."

"Okay, I'm off!"

Niki's eyes followed the girl out the door, "I'm not going to touch that comment with a ten foot pole, Sheldon."

"It's best you don't. You would have to go on all day."

Within a half hour, Merla returned with the salads. She handed one to Sheldon and then pulled up a chair and began to eat the other one. Niki stared at her, completely perplexed. "Excuse me, Merla," she asked the girl, "but where is my lunch?"

"Huh? Dr. Cooper only gave me enough money to buy mine and his. If you wanted one, you should have given me some money." She went back to concentrating on her salad.

Niki looked over the young girl's head at Sheldon and they shared an exasperated look between them.

"Here, Dr. Horner," he reached back into his pocket and handed Niki some money, "take this and buy yourself whatever you want."

Merlas looked up and questioned him, "Why are you giving her money? She's a researcher here. I'm sure she's not broke."

Sheldon began, "Miss Krane, need I remind you…" before Niki grabbed the money and headed out the door. She made a motion with her hand for Sheldon to quit while he was ahead and then headed for the lunch room.

While Niki was gone, Merla attempted to draw Sheldon into a conversation. "So, what is your research on?"

Sheldon stared at the girl, "First of all, in this office we use proper English grammar. We never end a sentence with a preposition. Second, to answer your question I must ask one of you. No one told you what research we were doing in this office?"

Merla swallowed hard, "Well, they gave me a vague idea that it had something to do with the space/time continuum and black holes."

Sheldon nodded, satisfied with her response, "Fine. That is all you need to know."

Merla moved closer to Sheldon and looked him directly in the eye, "Can I ask you a question?"

His look was withering, "Excuse me, proper grammar?"

 _"May_ I ask you a question, Dr. Cooper?"

He gave her his koala smile, "That is much better. Now, what is it you wish to ask me?"

"Why is she," Merla pointed to Niki's desk, "in this office? She doesn't seem to do much. Is she an actual researcher? I don't seem to remember her name associated with any published articles."

Sheldon's mouth dropped open and he responded, "I guarantee you, Dr. Horner is a fine researcher. The reason you haven't noticed her doing any work is because you have not been in the office with her for any great length of time. In addition to that, she has been published in many scientific journals. Perhaps you have not read any of her work because she has not contributed any works to theoretical physics publications. Dr. Horner's area of expertise is in astrophysics with a focus on SETI and Super Telescopes, so her work has, for the most part, been published in journals relating to those areas. She is a worthy partner; I can assure you of that."

Merla gave him an innocent look and a half-hearted apology, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend. I just thought that a famous physicist like you would have, how can I say it, a more accomplished partner?"

The plastic fork Sheldon was holding in his hand broke in two and, with effort; he grabbed another one and resumed eating his salad. "Let's just focus on our lunches right now, shall we? You can rest assured the university would not have paired us together if Dr. Horner was not qualified for the position." he reprimanded her while silently praying for Niki's return.

Niki's eyes hurriedly scanned the lunch room as she made her way to the counter to order a replacement taco salad for herself. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Raj, Howard, and Leonard waving at her. She waved back, purchased her food, and headed over to their table.

Howard spoke first, "Hey Niki, where's your better half today?"

Niki smiled at all of them and explained, "Oh, I left him at the office with the new intern. She just started today so I made myself scarce at the first opportunity."

All three men spoke at once, "You left Sheldon alone with the intern?"

Niki nodded as she took a seat next to Leonard, "Yeah, what's the big deal? Besides the fact that neither Sheldon nor I like her very much. She messed up the lunch order so I came here to rectify her mistake."

Leonard put down the fork full of food in his hand, "You mean he never told you about Ramona Nowitzki or Alex Jensen?"

Niki shook her head and answered him uncertainly, "No…why?"

Howard chuckled, "Well there was the little matter of a sexual harassment complaint, for one."

"And an over–the-top personal obsession." added Raj.

"Wait, guys. I didn't know about any of this. Maybe you should all fill me in on this stuff."

By the time they finished relating the particulars of Sheldon Cooper's past relationships with underlings; Niki began to hastily pack up her lunch and prepare to return to the office. "Thanks, guys. I had no idea things like that had happened. I suppose I should get back to work. Leonard, tell Penny I'll call her tonight. Talk to you all later."

*************************************************************************************Meanwhile, back at the office, Sheldon had finished his lunch and returned to his whiteboard. Merla once again came up to him a little too closely and asked him, "So, what are you working on there?"

Sheldon turned to face her, "Do you not have even the basic understanding of dark matter?"

Merla nodded and moved even closer to him, "Of course I do, Dr. Cooper. Is that what that equation is about?"

Sheldon rolled his eyes and turned back to his whiteboard, "Dear god, of course it is. I am attempting to calculate the warping of the space time continuum when presented with the after affects of a giant super nova. Does the graph warp enough to cause a ripple effect at the entrance to a dark hole? If that should happen to any sort of degree, I will then make an effort to calculate the exact size of star explosion necessary to affect the black hole and the duration of that affect. Even the beginning physicist knows the continuum can be altered or warped when it encounters large objects, but I am exploring what happens when it encounters the remnants of a quite large object near a black hole soon after the event takes place."

"Wouldn't that be the same result as if it met the object itself?"

He brightened and began more calculations, "Ahh that is the question. So far, we think not. Here's the larger question we are grappling with at this moment in time; would a super nova affect the dark matter around a black hole enough to allow a smooth and timely passage into it and possibly beyond? And would it have more of an effect than if the dark matter had just maneuvered around the solid object itself? This entire hypothesis has to do with the shifting values of the mass involved in this incident. The calculations regarding this have been both difficult and fascinating."

Merla moved up close behind him and attempted to look over his shoulder. Being too short for that, she merely peered around his side at the board, "But wouldn't calculating the affects of a supernova on a black hole require two different stars dying in close proximity to each other, but at different times?"

"Merla, I do believe the term widely used by those with a limited vocabulary such as yourself, is 'duh'."

Just then, Niki walked back into the office, her salad in hand. Sheldon offered up a small prayer of thanks to whatever deity -whose–existence-he-found-unlikely was on duty at that moment.

Niki gave both of them a warm smile, "Hello, guys? How's the supernova hypothesis going?"

Sheldon turned to her with sharp words on the tip of his tongue before his rational brain reminded him that this was Niki talking to him, his best friend, lover, and research partner. He stifled his snippy response and answered her kindly, "I've had better times with it. Perhaps you could render some assistance here."

Niki never reached Sheldon's whiteboard. Merla cut in front of her before she had gotten halfway there and announced, "Let me help you Dr. Cooper. I'm sure Dr. Horner can find _something_ to do. Maybe she could try eating her lunch."

Sheldon looked helplessly from Merla to Niki and back again. "I can assure you, as a mere graduate student, I hardly think you will be able to either comprehend or add to, the work I am currently doing."

Merla boldly exclaimed, "But that's what you're supposed to do, isn't it? Teach me what you are doing and then let me help you. She," Merla motioned to Niki, "has her own stuff to do, doesn't she?"

Niki angrily wheeled around and stalked back to her own desk, "Yeah, I guess I'll get busy with my own 'stuff'."

Sheldon turned from his whiteboard and walked towards Merla, death in his eyes, "Let's get things straight, young lady. My job is not to 'teach' you anything. I am not a professor; I am the Head Theoretical Physicist for this entire university. I do research and that is all I do. I do not instruct anyone on this campus at any time or place. That is not my position. You will learn by observation of both me and Dr. Horner. If you have any questions for either of us, of course we will do our best to answer them for you. Are you clear on that? You will help where both Dr. Horner and I see fit to allow you."

Merla was nonplussed by his attitude, "Sure. Can I ask you something now?"

Sheldon gave a classic eye roll and responded, "If you must."

"Is she" the intern pointed at Niki, "always gonna be here?"

Sheldon closed his eyes, counted to ten, and then answered her in as calm a manner as possible, "Seeing as how her name is engraved directly beneath mine on the door, that should tell you that, yes, Dr. Horner is 'gonna be here' most, if not all, of the time you are here in this office."

Merla shrugged, "Oh, okay. I guess I can hang."

Niki looked up from her work and smiled maliciously, "If you can't, I could always help you with that."

The rest of the afternoon passed in much the same way, but finally, it was six o'clock and Sheldon and Niki prepared to leave for home.

Merla turned to Sheldon and got way too close for comfort once more, "Say, Dr. Cooper, could I get a ride home with you today?"

Niki interceded on Sheldon's behalf, "Sheldon and I carpool together and I am driving today. You would have to ask me, not Dr. Cooper for a ride."

Merla looked crestfallen, "Oh, you're driving today? Never mind, then. See you tomorrow, Dr. Cooper."

"Unfortunately, I do believe you will."

She completely misunderstood his meaning, "Oh, you're cool; it's her that is the debbie downer." She looked directly at Niki for the first time in hours, "Lighten up, okay?"

Niki stood up, ready for battle, but Sheldon interceded before she could act on her impulses. "We'll see you tomorrow Ms. Krane. Have a nice evening."

"You, too. Talk to ya later." Then, The Thing That Invaded Cal Tech was gone for the night.

Sheldon put the key in the lock and opened their front door. He said nothing but headed straight to the couch, put his head back, and closed his eyes.

"The young woman was sent by Beelzebub himself!" he finally cried out to no one in particular.

Niki made her way into the kitchen, "Tea?"

Sheldon sighed to himself more in frustration than anything else, "Of course. And then I suppose we should make something to eat, though take out or delivery is a heavenly thought."

Niki brightened and grabbed her phone out of her bag, "I'm on it. Thai?"

"That will do perfectly. I still cannot believe it. I've had bad experiences with interns and assistants before, but those cannot hold a candle to this nightmare."

After she had ordered dinner, Niki walked over to the couch and sat next to her lover, "Maybe she won't come back. We can always hope for that."

Sheldon turned his head to look at her, "I, for one, intend to send a formal complaint to President Siebert tomorrow. This situation is beyond bearing."

Niki got up when she heard the tea pot whistle, "If that little bitch makes an inference to my supposed lack of qualifications or work ethic one more time…"

He quickly corrected her, "Niki! That is not the proper way to refer to our intern. The correct term should be biatch. That is a bitch with an attitude."

She came back to the couch carrying two cups of tea and put them down on the coffee table, "Let's change the subject. We're both making ourselves miserable, and she did a good enough job of that all day today."

Sheldon picked up his cup and paused before he took a sip, "All right. That's about the only thing she did well, though. Niki," he hesitated for a moment , then proceeded, "I hate to break this to you, I wish this was happening under more pleasant circumstances, but…"

Niki placed her hand on his leg and reassured him, "Sheldon, whatever it is, just go ahead and drop the hammer. How much worse can it get?"

He took a deep breath, put his cup down, and blurted out in a single breath, "I won't be joining you in the office tomorrow morning."

"WHAT?!"

Sheldon picked his cup back up and began to speak, "As you know, some time ago, I announced I would be taking driving lessons in an effort to become an equal part of our carpool duties."

Niki sipped her tea and asked him wearily, "Yes, I remember. So what does that have to do with leaving me alone with the Angel of Death?"

Sheldon put his cup down again and then explained to her, "I have an appointment to take my driving test tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. at the Department of Motor Vehicles. As she has the day off, Penny has generously offered to take me there."

"Okay. I'm very proud of you, Sheldon. That's a big step to take and I wish you well in this endeavor. On the other hand, I feel much like a convicted convict must feel the night before their execution."

He put his arm around her lovingly, "I understand your disappointment, but I will be there as close to noon as possible."

Niki relaxed into his side and put her head on his shoulder, "What, so you can buy her lunch again?"

Sheldon kissed the top of her head sweetly, "I do believe tomorrow we will eat in the commissary with our friends, to avoid Merla and her senseless prattle if nothing else."

Niki sat up straight and exclaimed, "Oh gosh! Thanks for reminding me. Speaking of friends, I promised Penny I would call her tonight. Remind me to do that after we eat, don't let me forget."

"Not a chance, I wish to speak with her myself." The doorbell suddenly rang. "That must be our food. Let me get it while you set the table."

Niki got up and headed back to the kitchen, "You got it. I didn't get to eat much of my lunch, so I'm famished!"

After dinner, Niki and Sheldon took their usual places on the couch. On her couch, Sheldon's 'spot' was exactly in the middle and Niki most often sat sideways on his right, her back touching his shoulder while they either watched tv or read. They were in these positions when Niki picked up her phone and called Penny.

Penny answered her phone on the second ring, _Hello?_

 _Hey, girl, it's Niki._

 _What's up? Leonard told me all about you guys getting an intern. How's that going?_

 _Not so good. This girl cuts me down every chance she gets, but fawns all over Sheldon to the degree that he can't get any real work done._

 _Knowing Sheldon, he must hate that._

 _Well, sure. We're there to work, not play nursemaid to some spoiled grad student._

 _I thought you loved teaching. What's the problem?_

 _Teaching when you're a teacher is one thing. That's your job. I mean, that's what the whole profession is about. You are introducing new concepts to students and helping them to master the subject. It's pretty fulfilling and fun._

 _So…why do you and Sheldon have this distaste for interns? You show them new things, right?_

 _Yes and no. As a researcher, our job is to come up with a new hypothesis once in awhile and then devote the next several months or years to either proving or disproving it. It's pretty intense and demands your full concentration. I mean, Sheldon and I can go hours without speaking to each other, that's how focused we are on our work in the office. When you bring in an intern, it disrupts all of that. Just about every physics grad student in the world thinks they're the next coming of Stephen Hawking , so they interrupt you, attempt to correct you, and never ignore an opportunity to 'help' with your research. And most of the time, that means they screw up an entire day's work for you. No, a theoretical physicist having an intern is not at all like teaching. Students never messed up my work, they WERE my work._

 _And this girl disrespects you?_

 _Oh yeah. She challenges me at every opportunity. I want to strangle her most of the time. So does Sheldon, but for a different reason entirely. She gives him no space, whatsoever. She's constantly looking over his shoulder or standing too close to him and questioning every equation he puts on the board. If he looks something up on his computer she's asking him what he's doing and why. He's completely frustrated with her. We give her work of her own to do, but she considers that beneath her and gives it to me while she stays glued to Sheldon._

 _So, what can you do about her?_

 _Sheldon told me he intends to write a formal complaint against her tomorrow and send it to President Siebert._

 _Uh, Nic?_

 _Yeah?_

 _I wouldn't do that. Leonard told me; now make sure you both are sitting down, that this girl is Siebert's niece._

 _Noooooo!_

 _Yes, so watch yourselves. You guys don't get all kissy face around her, do you?_

 _No, we're at work. We never do that even when we are alone, at least we don't until the end of the day or whenever we take lunch in our office._

 _Good. Because from what Leonard told me, your little intern has the hots for Sheldon. Be careful. You don't want to fuck things up before you leave._

 _Noted. Now, I want to give you a great, big, Thank You for taking Sheldon to the DMV tomorrow morning. I appreciate that._

 _Hey, no problem. He hasn't told you this, but on weekends he's been having either me or Leonard help him with his driving. Get this; he's actually getting pretty good at it. Those driving lessons he paid for were money well spent._

 _Well, could you please deliver him back to the school asap tomorrow? I will be alone with the little witch until he gets there and she is so rude to me that most of the time she makes me want to smack her._

 _She questions your ability to work with Sheldon?_

 _No, she questions my ability to do anything. She treats me like I'm an idiot because I'm not as well known as Sheldon in the physics community. That really hurts._ Sheldon tapped her on her shoulder and made a motion for her to pass the phone to him. _Girlfriend, Sheldon wants to speak to you, is that okay?_

 _Sure, put him on._

 _Penny, I want to thank you for your kind offer to drive me to get my license tomorrow. Now, we need to synchronize our watches. I do believe you should arrive here by 9:30, just in case parking is difficult to find. Is that agreeable to you?_

 _Fine, Sweetie. 9:30 it is._

 _What time does your watch say now?_

 _Sheldon, I don't wear a watch. I use my phone._

 _All right, what time does your phone say?_

 _Eight o'clock._

 _Very good, we are in sync. I shall see you tomorrow morning at 9:30._

 _You bet, now can you put your main squeeze back on?_

He handed the phone back to Niki and the two friends said their goodbyes with a promise to talk the next day. When she had finished her call, Sheldon ran his hand through Niki's hair, pulled her close, and settled back down in the couch to continue watching his show. Suddenly he sat bolt upright,

"Niki, I must make a phone call, now!"

She looked back at him, "Why?"

He picked up his phone and explained to her, "I have to call Howard. After listening to your phone call with Penny I have realized how I may have unintentionally hurt him many times in the past. I feel a strong need to apologize to him."

Niki nodded, "Then do that. I understand. He's your friend, he deserves an apology. I think he'd really appreciate it."

Sheldon called him and Bernadette answered, _Hey Sheldon, what's up?_

 _Is Howard there?_

 _Yeah, just a minute. He's watching television with Kelly._

It wasn't very long before Howard's voice came over the phone, _Yeah, Sheldon. What's up?_

 _Howard, I have recently come to the realization that my teasing of you in the past may very well have aggravated you and caused you to become angry with me. I have really meant nothing by it, but I do realize it may have caused you some angst and I truly want to apologize. I do consider you a highly intelligent man and an amazing engineer as well. I want you to know that._

 _Thanks, Sheldon. That means a lot to me. I guess that means we have to stop teasing each other?_

 _If that is what you wish._

 _You know what? We actually have a lot of fun doing that. Now that I know we're both only kidding, who says we have to stop?_

 _You mean that?_

 _Sure. Friends?_

 _Friends. Thank you, Howard. I feel much better now._

 _Say, did Niki put you up to this?_

 _No, but it was something that happened to her that led me to this apology._

 _Well, consider your apology accepted. Now, I'm going back to watching tv._

 _As am I. Good night, Howard._

 _Good night, Sheldon._

Later, in bed, Niki snuggled up to Sheldon and sighed.

He rolled over to face her, concerned, "What's the matter? I hope it is nothing I did."

She turned to him and kissed the tip of his nose, "Of course not, honey. It's about something Penny told me."

Sheldon propped himself up on one elbow, "Should I know about this also?"

Niki nodded and stroked the side of his face, "Oh yes. It's about Merla. I wouldn't write that formal complaint to Siebert tomorrow if I were you."

Sheldon sat straight up in bed and looked at her with surprise, "Is there a good reason why I shouldn't?"

Niki sat up as well as she answered him, "One of the best. She's his niece. Leonard found that out and had Penny pass it along to me."

Sheldon stared blankly at the wall in front of him and mused, "I suppose that puts an end to that. Now how should we handle this situation?

Her voice was sad as she advised him, "Penny said to keep our relationship on the qt and present ourselves are mere research partners."

He nodded slowly, digesting what she had just said, "That we can do, I suppose. If I feel the overwhelming urge to hug or kiss you I can always send the little wench out to fetch us something."

Niki took a deep breath and began to speak as she exhaled, "That will work. But get this; Penny said Merla has the hots for you."

He was clueless as to what she had just said, "Meaning?"

Niki grinned and ran her hand across his chest, "She likes you. A lot."

Sheldon's ego took over and he grinned confidently, "Well, I am a likeable person, Niki."

She shook her head and explained it further to him, "No, Sheldon. She _likes_ you."

"Excuse me. What have I done to make her 'like' me?" he said using air quotes.

Niki cuddled back against his body, "Mmmm, maybe she's warm for your form. I can understand that."

He lay back down and wrapped his arms around Niki and pulled her even tighter against him as he whispered into her hair, "She can be as warm as she likes. The only one this form wants to be with is you."

Niki smiled to herself, "Good. Let's keep it that way." She then leaned over and gave him a sweet kiss. "It's been a long day and we could both use some sleep. Tomorrow's a big day for both of us."

"You are most correct on that." He kissed her back, pulled the covers up, and pulled her in close with his arms. "Good night Dr. Horner."

Niki snuggled comfortably into his arms, "Good night, Dr. Cooper."

 **Will our two lovers manage to hide their relationship from the Intern from Hell? Will their friends help them in this endeavor? Will Sheldon pass his driving test? Stay tuned.**


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36: On the Down Low

 **This story arc will take a few chapters. I will try to make it as entertaining as possible.**

True to her word, Penny knocked on Sheldon's door at 9:30 sharp and they proceeded towards the elevator on their way to her car. If he was nervous, he gave very little evidence of it. In fact, his mind seemed a million miles away from his coming driver's test.

"What's up, Buttercup?" Penny asked him in a teasing voice.

As they entered the elevator, Sheldon told her, "Penny, I'm worried about Niki being alone with that menace of an intern. The wretched girl's voice literally drips with venom whenever she addresses Niki about anything."

Penny pushed the Ground Floor button, "Yeah, Nik was telling me all about that. Do you think she's going to be okay?"

Sheldon looked up at the ceiling of the elevator and sighed, "I suppose so. Niki is in possession of a fairly stern foundation, but you know how it can be when you have romantic feelings for someone. You always worry."

The elevator stopped and the two friends emerged into the building's lobby, "I never stop being amazed at how much you've changed since meeting her."

Sheldon looked over at her and explained, "Penny, the change didn't start then. The change actually began when Amy became ill. There is nothing like a terminal illness to make a man reassess his life."

They reached her car and Penny commented as they buckled their seatbelts, "But you have to admit, Niki did have something to do with it."

Once they were on the road, Sheldon looked out the window at the passing traffic and sighed once more, "I have told a longer variant of this to Niki, but I will now offer you the condensed version. Amy's cancer made me realize what a cold, selfish, person I had been all of my life. Niki has shown me how to grow and move past that. I love both of them very much."

They stopped for a traffic light and Penny swung her head to look at Sheldon, "You still love Amy?"

"What a ridiculous question, Penny. Of course I do. Amy died, not the love I had for her. That will last forever I would imagine."

Penny drummed her fingers on the steering wheel while waiting for the light to change, "And Niki is okay with that?"

Sheldon nodded as he continued to gaze out the window, "Yes. She understands. She still loves her late husband very much as well. Penny, loving Amy and Paul has not prevented us from being able to love each other. In fact, it has enriched it. We greatly value all the time we have together because we both realize that it could all be gone tomorrow. It sounds odd to you, I am sure, but Niki and I understand each other completely on this matter and that is what is important. I will love Niki forever, the same way I will always love Amy."

Penny smiled at her husband's bestie and told him, "In a weird way I can't really understand, that sounds sort of sweet. Oh, here we are, Ye Olde Pasadena DMV. Let me try to find a place to park this beast and we'll go check in."

As they walked towards the entrance, Penny drilled him. "Sheldon, be pleasant and polite to the tester. No sighs, eye rolls, or condescension allowed. Got it?"

Sheldon looked at her and smiled, "Yes, Mother."

"Just put Sheldon Cooper aside for half an hour and become Leonard Hofstadter. That ought to do it."

He opened the door to the building and let her pass through first, "Very well. If you think that's for the best."

"Trust me, Sheldon, it's for the best. You want to pass this thing, right?"

He began to walk away from Penny to get in the proper line marked Appointments, "Of course I do. I want to make Niki proud of me."

Penny spoke to his back as he walked away from her, "Sheldon, trust me, she already is."

One hour later, Sheldon Cooper was in possession of a valid California Driver's License. True to form, he had obtained a perfect score on his driving test and had impressed his tester immensely.

Penny gave him a huge hug. "Congratulations, Sweetie! Now, in celebration, I'm inviting you and Nik over to our place for dinner tonight. Say, about 7:30?"

"That is fine, but if you had planned on serving drinks, I'll have you know that Niki and I will require no alcohol for this celebration."

"I won't be drinking, either. As of the 4th, I gave up drinking."

Some time passed as Penny concentrated on her driving. Sheldon finally broke the ice, "May I inquire as to why?"

"Well, you will be the first person to know this, but Leonard and I are trying to start a family."

"Oh, you are now using coitus for its utilitarian purpose? Very well. I wish you good luck on your endeavor." Penny pulled up behind Sheldon's building, "Now, could you wish me good luck with mine?

"Sheldon, you passed your driving test, so what is there left for me to wish you luck with?"

"Keep a good thought that neither Niki nor I kill our intern. It would be appreciated." With that, Sheldon left Penny's car and made his way up to his office.

Niki arrived at the office, as usual, at 8:30. Much to her dismay, she found Merla Krane sitting on the floor outside of the door.

"Excuse me, Merla, but what are you doing here this early? I thought you would be here at 9:00?"

The girl ignored Niki's question completely and demanded, "Where's Dr. Cooper?"

Niki inserted her key into the lock, "He had some business to attend to this morning. He will be here later this morning. Now, shall we get started?"

Merla seemed to ignore her once more, "What time is he getting here?"

Niki turned to face the girl and told her, "I have no idea. He said he would try to get here by lunch time. I'm not holding him to that, though."

The girl looked as if she were ready to stomp her foot, "Why not? Don't you want to know when he'll get here?"

Niki sighed and entered the office, "I'm not holding him to that statement because he is at the DMV. Heaven knows what time he will be finished there."

Merla put her backpack down and made herself at home at Sheldon's desk, "What's he doing there?"

Niki thought of a plausible white lie, "I do believe he is renewing his license."

The young woman turned on his computer, "Couldn't he do that online?"

Niki picked up her clipboard and studied the day's agenda, "I wouldn't know, I didn't ask him. Please don't do that. He hates people touching his things."

Merla ignored Niki's warning and asked her, "Why couldn't he do it online? Don't you care?"

"Merla, why should I care about how Dr. Cooper's getting his license? It's enough to know that he is. Now, let me repeat myself, shall we stop this nonsense and get to work? And please, do not get on his computer. He doesn't even let me touch it without permission. So please… stop."

The girl brightly chirped, "Oh, he won't mind if I use it. He let me on it yesterday."

Niki sputtered a response, "But that was while he was here. This is different. Didn't you bring your own laptop? All interns are required to have one."

Merla began to play Solitaire, "Yeah, it's in my backpack, but I want to use his."

Niki took a step towards the girl, her body rigid with anger, " . .Computer."

The young intern did a fairly good imitation of Sheldon's eye roll, "I know, I'm not stupid."

Niki slammed the clipboard down on her desk loudly, "Then get the hell off of it!"

Merla hastily turned Sheldon's computer off, but then began rifling through his desk, "Okay, okay. What a grouch. How can someone as cool as Dr. Cooper stand to work with someone like you?"

Niki put her head down on her desk, "Oh, we manage, we manage." She suddenly brightened and asked Merla, "Would you like to truly help us in our research?"

The young girl's face lit up like a Christmas tree, "Would I!"

Niki handed her some pages full of collected data. "Good. Yesterday, I measured the frequency of these assorted light rays emanating from various stars. What I would like you to do is calculate the energy level of their photons."

Merla looked up at her, perplexed, "How do I do that?"

Niki could not believe what she was hearing, "Uh…by using Plank's Constant? You're a grad student, I'm sure you have used it before."

The girl shook her head dismissively, "Nope, I haven't. Why are you studying this anyway?"

Niki tried to be patient as she attempted to give a very basic explanation, "Because I am studying Black Bodies and their rates of absorption of light rays with differing frequencies, that's why."

Merla looked down at the pages of data and then up at Niki, "Does that have anything to do with what Dr. Cooper is doing?"

Niki walked over to her desk and started her own computer, "Yes. We are each researching different areas and aspects of light traveling in and possibly out of Black Holes in an effort to see if time and space navigation is possible through wormholes."

"Why would you study that?"

Niki collapsed into her chair and stared at the intern in disbelief, "Oh, dear god, girl! We are physicists and that is what we are curious about right now. The task I just gave you is an integral part of quantum physics." Niki scribbled down the equation for Plank's Constant on a piece of paper and handed it to Merla. "Here, this should help you. Now, please get started and if you have any questions, feel free to ask me."

She studied the paper for a second and then had a question for Niki, "That's a pretty ring you're wearing. Where did you buy it?"

Niki looked up from her computer, "Huh? Oh, I didn't buy it. It was given to me."

Merla continued to ignore the printouts in her hand, "When?"

Niki thought hard of a way to satisfy the girl's curiosity while not revealing anything about her relationship with Sheldon at the same time, "At a party a couple of months ago."

"Why did someone give you such a pretty ring?"

Niki felt cornered and finally admitted, "Merla, it's an engagement ring."

The girl looked at her incredulously, " _You're_ engaged?"

Niki closed her eyes and attempted to maintain her composure, "Yes, even scientists get engaged, Merla."

She kept her entirely too personal questions coming at a fast pace, "How did you meet him? You are straight, right? I can't really tell with you."

"Yes, Merla, if you must know, I'm heterosexual, not that that is any of your business. As to how I met him? I met him through a friend of his." Not a complete lie. Raj was one of Sheldon's friends.

Merla probed further, "Is he cute?"

"Yes, I think he is very handsome." Niki thought frantically of how to redirect this conversation away from her personal life and back to the work at hand. "Now, let's get started on those measurements, shall we?"

"Sure. Does Dr. Cooper know him?"

Niki struggled to find an appropriate answer that wouldn't give too much away, "Uh, yes, they're fairly close." She then focused on her computer screen, hoping to encourage the girl to begin the task she had been given.

Merla suddenly nodded and smiled, "So that's why he has you working with him. He's doing a favor for his friend."

Niki found herself trembling with rage, "That has nothing to do with why I am here. I am more than qualified to assist Dr. Cooper in his research. He invited me personally to be his partner based on merit, not on any favor to anyone."

The girl dismissed Niki with a shrug of her shoulders, "If you say so."

The rest of the morning passed in much the same manner. Merla attempting to avoid any actual work by peppering Niki with mildly insulting personal questions and comments, which the impatient physicist attempted to deflect to the best of her ability. When Sheldon finally made it to the office, it was all Niki could do to keep from throwing herself straight into his arms.

Sheldon walked through the door, made note of the look on Niki's face, and motioned her to join him out in the hall. Niki got up from her desk and began to follow Sheldon out the door when she noticed Merla walking closely behind her.

Niki looked back at the girl, "Excuse me, but Dr. Cooper wishes to speak with me in private. This will not take long."

Merla stubbornly refused to back off, "I can come, too, can't I Dr. Cooper? I am your intern, after all.

Sheldon pointed at Merla, "You stay put. I wish to speak to Dr. Horner alone. As she informed you, this will not take long."

Once outside the door, Sheldon found them a recessed alcove in the hall and took Niki into his arms. "God, I need to do this!" he said as he began to kiss her passionately.

"And good afternoon to you, also, Dr. Cooper." she said when he eventually broke the kiss. "How did this morning go?"

He grinned broadly, "Most excellently." He reached into his wallet and showed her his temporary driver's license.

Now it was Niki's turn to kiss him. "That's fantastic! I am so proud of you!"

He smiled at her and touched her on her nose briefly, "Penny said something to that affect, also. Oh, she and Leonard have invited us over for a celebratory dinner tonight. I accepted on both of our behalves. That wasn't too presumptuous of me was it?"

"Of course not. I always love going to Penny and Leonard's place. Maybe we should be getting back to the office, though. Merla will be coming out here to check on us in another minute and I don't want her to find us with our arms wrapped around each other. She's asked me enough questions for one day."

One of his eyebrows lifted significantly, "Such as?"

Niki let out a long breath, "She noticed my ring and began to grill me about my personal life. Don't worry, I told her nothing about us. In fact, she thinks I am engaged to a good friend of yours. I hated to lie, but under the circumstances that seemed the right thing to do."

Sheldon nodded. He hated lying, also, but as Niki had so succinctly put it, that had been the best thing to do in this situation. At work, no one should know anything about your private life, anyway. The only people at the school who knew about him and Niki were Leonard, Raj, Howard, and Kripke. And Kripke was still on sabbatical, so that eliminated that possible disaster.

He smiled at his lady and gave her one, last, hug, "Well, shall we return to Abaddon?"

Niki sadly nodded, "I suppose so. Thank god it's almost time for lunch."

When lunch time arrived, both Sheldon and Niki were extremely eager to escape the plague that was their intern. However, as they readied themselves to leave for the lunch room, Merla spoke up, "Where are we going to eat lunch?"

Sheldon collected his wallet and his keys and answered, "I do not know where you will be eating, but Dr. Horner and I will be dining in the common lunch room with our friends and colleagues."

Merla almost jumped for joy, "Oh good, I'll just tag along. I'd love to meet your friends, Dr. Cooper!"

It was a good thing Sheldon's back was to her, or his intern would have seen his face fall dramatically. Niki fared little better and prepared herself mentally to spend her sacred lunch hour in the company of the most annoying person she had ever met.

As they made their way through the halls, headed for the commissary, they were greeted by several students with a wave or a nod. They were all familiar with the sight of that strange Dr. Cooper going to lunch with his tall, thin, research partner. If they noticed Merla at all, they gave her little thought.

Further on, one of the male students stopped the group and addressed Sheldon with a smile and a wink, "Hey, Dr. Cooper, who's the hot babe I saw you with at the DMV this morning? Is that your old lady?"

Sheldon was extremely put off by the question and was quick to correct him, "Excuse me, young man, but Penny is not an 'old lady', she is my friend. And for your information, we have no romantic attachment to each other. She is my neighbor as well as the wife of my best friend who also happens to be a colleague of mine."

The student grinned and assured Sheldon he meant no insult to Penny with his question, "That's cool. I didn't think you could have a hot old lady, but I had to ask you anyway."

Sheldon was about to answer that he did, indeed, have a hot lady of his own and that she was walking next to him. But he quickly remembered Merla was walking on his other side, so he merely smiled and let the matter go.

Eventually they arrived at the lunch room and each grabbed a tray. Sheldon hoped his friends would not reveal his true relationship with Niki, but he took some amount of reassurance from the fact that Leonard would surely have filled them all in with the particulars of this situation.

They each paid for their meal and looked for a place to sit. As they scanned the room, Leonard, Raj, and Howard waved them all over. Sheldon eagerly made his way to their table, momentarily forgetting Merla tagging along behind him.

"Hello, gentlemen. How are you today?"

Leonard greeted him first, "Hi. We're all fine, Sheldon. Niki, it's good to see you again." He pointed to Merla, "Is this your intern?"

Merla smiled at all of them, "Yep. I'm Merla Krane, Dr. Cooper's intern. It's nice to meet all of you."

Sheldon sat Merla as far away from himself as possible and thought, _So far, so good._ Then it happened. "Which one of you has the hot wife that some guy told us took Dr. Cooper to the DMV today?"

Sheldon almost choked on his sandwich. "Merla! That is a highly personal question!"

"I know," she responded, "that's why I asked it."

Raj, Howard, and Leonard all looked at each other uncomfortably. Finally, Leonard spoke up, "That would be me. My wife, Penny, took Sheldon to the DMV this morning."

" _You've_ got a wife that hot?" she blurted out. Niki wanted the ground to open up and swallow her.

"Uh, yeah." Leonard pulled out his phone, "Want to see a picture of her?" Merla nodded.

Sheldon attempted to intercede, "Leonard, I don't think that's a good…" but he was too late, Leonard pushed his phone, with Penny's picture on it, towards Merla.

"Wow! She _is_ hot. Are you sure Dr. Cooper didn't try to bone her?"

"Merla!" This time, it was Niki who shouted at the girl.

"What? She's gorgeous and Dr. Cooper is a man. It's only natural he might get a chub around her."

Sheldon spat out angrily, "I can assure you, young lady, I have never gotten a 'chub' around Penny. She is like my sister. The mere thought of that disgusts me!"

"Hey, I'm sorry if I offended anyone. It's just that your friend there," she pointed to Leonard, "is batting waaay outta his league."

"Merla," Niki warned her in a stern voice, "that will be enough. Penny is a fine, loyal, person."

"What," she showed NIki the phone, "do you know this chick? I wouldn't think a Plain Jane like you would get to hang around a girl this good looking."

Niki turned and gave the girl a death stare, "She's my best friend. She also loves Leonard very much."

"You're sure of that?"

Niki nodded and packed up what remained of her lunch, eager to exit the room, "Oh yes, quite sure."

"Well, there's no accounting for taste." She pointed at Howard, "You, with the geeky bowl cut, is your wife hot, too?"

By this time, Howard knew better. "Yes, I guess she is, but sorry, I don't have any pictures of her on my phone."

Merla gave him an evil grin, "Yeah, I'll bet she's really a dog, huh? That's okay; you're nothing to write home about, either."

By this time, Sheldon and Niki's humiliation was complete. Sheldon cleared his throat and said, "I think it's time we returned to the office."

Merla answered him with a scowl, "Wait, I haven't been introduced to the cute one." She stared straight at Raj. "What's your name and is your wife a hottie?"

Raj felt his selective mutism returning and just shook his head. "Raj is single." Howard informed her.

"Got a girlfriend?"

"Yes." He squeaked.

"Got a picture of her?"

He shook his head no.

She turned away from him, "Just as well. Our conversation wasn't going anywhere, anyway."

Sheldon nudged Niki under the table and she nodded. "Well, we hate to eat and run, but we have work waiting for us back at the office, right Sheldon?"

"Yes. The effort to understand the universe never stops."

Merla smiled at all of the men at the table, while patently ignoring Niki. "It was nice meeting all of you. I'm sure I'll see you guys again. But my dad's family will be in town soon, so I probably won't be here much next week."

Sheldon muttered to himself, "Now _that's_ a thought that _could_ give me a chub." Only Niki and Howard were near enough to hear him and they almost spit their water out onto the table.

Merla looked over at them and asked, "Are you guys choking or something? Too bad if you are 'cause I don't know that Heinie maneuver or whatever it's called."

Sheldon addressed her in a severe tone, "That will be enough, Merla. Bid the gentlemen good day and let's get going."

Merla gave a half-masted salute and called out, "'Bye everyone!"

Niki smiled and waved to her friends, "Good bye, guys. Leonard, tell Penny I said I will see her later, okay?"

Leonard merely nodded, aware of the secret code being used by his friends to hide their relationship. From what he had seen today, he had to say that his wife had been spot on with suggesting that idea to his friends.

As Sheldon, NIki, and their intern headed for the door, Leonard, Howard, and Raj heard Merla exclaim, "Hey, we're kinda like the Three Musketeers, aren't we?"

Sheldon and Niki both shuddered.

At the end of the work day, Sheldon and Niki bid Merla goodbye without encouraging her to ask for a ride home. They walked to Niki's car and for the first time, Sheldon offered to drive home. He put the key into the ignition, but before Sheldon started the car, he turned to Niki, took her hand and told her, "I don't know how much longer I can sit by and watch Merla disrespect our friends and you. I try to keep calm, but Niki, I sometimes have such anger for her welling up inside me I can barely contain it. I am very afraid that one day, I will hurt the girl."

Niki squeezed his hand and gave him a sweet smile. "Sheldon, can we talk about Merla later? There's nothing we can do about her right this minute and I want to enjoy being the passenger for the ride home. This is thrilling me no end. So let's enjoy this moment and worry about that little tart another time."

Sheldon nodded and started the car. "Agreed. Are you ready for me to be your chauffeur, little lady?"

Niki gave him a huge grin and settled back into her seat. She was so proud of Sheldon and she wanted to enjoy every second of this ride home. The Sheldon sitting in the driver's seat bore scant resemblance to the arrogant, aloof, and judgmental man she had met that day with Raj. It had only been a little over six months, but she felt as if she had known and loved Sheldon Cooper her entire life. From what his friends had told her, the Sheldon she had met that day was also very far removed from the man they had known years prior. Niki shrugged to herself. Life was a learning and growing process. God knows she was a far different person than she had been when married to Paul. Maybe change kept one from becoming stale and old. She smiled faintly at that thought, and then relaxed and let Sheldon guide the car home.

Sheldon opened their front door and they both collapsed on the couch. It has been a long, trying, and eventful day for both of them and their body language displayed full proof of that. They both closed their eyes and remained silent for several minutes. The only way you would have been able to tell that they were even aware of the person next to them was that their hands were entwined and one or the other gave a squeeze occasionally.

Eventually, their eyes opened and they turned to look at each other. "What time are we due at Leonard and Penny's?" Niki asked.

"I believe she said 7:30. I suppose we should start getting ready. I don't believe we have time to shower, but I do believe a change of clothes is appropriate."

Niki agreed with him, "Okay, I'll just wear my black dress pants and a nice top. Maybe my red one."

Sheldon pleaded with her, "No, Niki. Please wear your blue one, the one that you wore the first time you met Leonard and Penny. I love that blouse on you."

Niki smiled and answered him, "Fine. The blue one it is. I wonder what we're going to have for dinner."

Sheldon began to lay out his clothes for the evening and answered her, "Does it matter? It's the company we really value, is it not? All the same, let us hope it is not Thai again."

Niki ran a comb through her hair and checked her makeup, "Right again, Cooper. Sometimes you're handy to have around."

They arrived at the Hofstadter apartment precisely at 7:30, as per Sheldon's usual habit. Penny greeted them and motioned them to come inside. "Have a seat and make yourself at home. Leonard's on the phone talking to his dad in the other room. He should be out in a couple of minutes."

Niki went up to Penny and hugged her while Sheldon made his way to the couch, "Thank you for taking Sheldon to get his license this morning, and thank you and Leonard for helping him practice his driving. God knows I couldn't do it. I suck at teaching people to drive. I was assigned a Driver's Ed class when I taught high school and I only lasted a week before I drove the students crazy and was replaced."

Penny hugged her back and answered her, "Hey, we were glad to do it. Think about it, Sheldon is now driving!" The two ladies then joined Sheldon on the couch. "Hey, Mr. Driver Man, how's it going?" she greeted Sheldon. "Nik, did you know he got a perfect score on his driving test?"

Niki turned and gave her love an affectionate smirk, "I'm not surprised. Sheldon excels at just about everything he tries."

He pointed at Niki, "Penny, now do you see why I fell in love with this woman? She is very appreciative of my many talents."

Penny noticed something in their interchange that bothered her, but she decided to keep it to herself. "So, how goes the intern? Leonard gave me an earful about her and she sounds hella rude."

Niki nodded and studied the ring on her finger intently, "Yep, that about sums it up. It's hard to keep our relationship from her, also. She just idolizes Sheldon even when he's rude to her, and she insults me even when I try to be nice."

Penny eyes went wide, but danced with mirth, "Sheldon? Rude? I'm shocked! No, really. It sounds like she's totally cramping your style."

Sheldon gave his pretty friend a look that took all the light out of her eyes and replaced it with worry, "It's not just that, Penny. She is greatly interrupting our progress. With constantly having to correct her work or explain the most basic of physics laws and equations to her, our research has, for the most part, stalled since she has been 'helping' us." Sheldon once again used air quotes to make his point.

Niki gave Penny a sad look, "The man speaks the truth. He gives her data to organize or equations to apply to the simplest of problems and she always gets it wrong."

Sheldon sadly shook his head, "Her capacity for being incorrect appears to be infinite."

Niki rubbed her temples as if in pain, "If I hear Sheldon say, 'Actually, no, but somewhat correct' one more time, I think I'm going to blow chunks . I still think her uncle got her this position. The truth is, it is more than likely she has spent very little time in an actual graduate level physics class."

Sheldon shook his head and responded with some anger in his voice, "You give her way too much credit, Niki. I would say she has spent little time in a _high school_ physics class. Niki told me the girl informed her that she had never used Plank's Constant. That is taught at the undergraduate level. The depth of her ineptitude is mind blowing."

Penny had been studying the body language of her two friends. As a trained actress, she knew that whenever a person was suppressing something, it would come out eventually, most generally in the way their body interacted with, and responded to, others close to them. She looked at both of them and phrased her words carefully, "Would you guys mind if I asked you a few questions? I may be able to help you with your intern problem."

Sheldon gave Penny a kind, but condescending look, "Let me see if I understood this correctly, _you_ are going to help _us_? Penny, that is very nice of you, but really…"

Niki cut him off sharply, "Sheldon, let her talk. Maybe she can help us and maybe she can't, but she's our friend and I want to hear what she has to say."

Sheldon backed down, somewhat embarrassed by his outburst, "Very well. Proceed."

Penny's first question was for her girlfriend, "Okay, question number one. Niki, when you guys are at work, do you ever think of Sheldon kissing you?"

Niki almost laughed, "Of course I do."

"And do parts of your body get, shall we say, _warm_ , when you have those thoughts?"

Niki's face went beet red, "Well, yeah."

Penny continued, her tone serious, not teasing, "Do you ever think of him touching you and vice versa?"

"From time to time."

Penny probed further, "Does he ever touch you and kiss you at work?"

Niki looked toward her friend and answered, "He used to, before Merla."

Penny nodded soberly and turned to Sheldon, "Okay. Now, my dear, do you ever think of Niki kissing you while you're at work?"

He answered her in a calm voice, "Sometimes, yes."

Penny's next question was far more personal, "Do parts of your body 'react' when you think of kissing Niki?"

Sheldon's head reared up and his nostril's flared in indignation, "That's a bit personal, don't you think? I don't see how that has anything to do with Merla or our research."

Penny put a hand softly on his knee to calm him, "Work with me here, Sweetie, it's all for a good cause. Now, I repeat, do parts of your body react to the idea of kissing Niki?"

His face went scarlet, also, "If you must know, yes."

She ignored his embarrassment and continued with her questioning, "Sheldon, do you ever think of touching her and vice versa? I'm not talking about when you're in the middle of your research, I know nothing but physics gets in your noggin then, same with her." She pointed to Niki. "I mean, you know, when you take a break. Do you ever think of running your hands down her body or copping a feel?"

His eyes telegraphed a warning that she had gone too far, "Penny! That is an inappropriate question."

Penny calmly replied, "Good cause, Sheldon, remember?"

"If you must know, quite often."

She was very close to making her point, so she quickly asked a follow up question, "Now, do you ever touch and kiss Niki at work?"

He nodded, "Of course. When the time is right."

"How about since Merla started hanging with you guys?"

He shook his head, "No. Not as often at all."

Penny now zeroed in on the point she knew she needed to make, "Now, Sheldon, don't you want to anymore? Because let me be blunt and tell you guys what I've noticed. Nik, there was a time in the past when I doubted Sheldon had ever had a hard on. These past few months, it's strange to think of him without one. You guys are the touchiest, feeliest, couple I know. He kisses your hair, you stroke his cheek, and you guys hold hands all the time, you guys can't even watch TV without touching each other. Am I wrong?"

Sheldon answered her in a small voice, his mind already at work, "No, I find you correct on all points you have made."

Penny aimed and fired, "Okay. What's stopping you from doing that now? Look at you two. There is actually six inches of space between you. I haven't seen that in months. Merla's not here now. How come you two aren't all over each other like white on rice?"

They turned and looked at each other in shock. Penny was right. They were sitting on the couch like they had when they were mere friends. It was a troubling revelation for both of them.

Penny pressed, "Well, why aren't you?"

Niki answered in a confused voice, "I don't know, Penny. Mental block, maybe?"

Penny jumped up excitedly and pointed a finger at them both, "Exactly! Caused by everyone's least favorite person. She's keeping you guys from being yourselves even when she's not here. Answer me honestly, either of you. Have you guys made love since Merla came into your lives?"

Niki answered hesitantly, "Well, it has only been two days…"

Sheldon tried to evade answering the question in an indirect manner, "Define what you meant by 'made love'…"

Penny stared hard at both of them, "No, huh?"

Niki hung her head, "No, huh."

Penny's voice once more became kind and caring, "Why not? You guys are the horniest couple I know. Or at least you used to be. Here's what I've figured out. Listen up. You guys are handling this all wrong. From what Leonard told me about what happened at lunch, you aren't dealing with an evil witch or a love-besotted young girl, you're merely dealing with a spoiled brat whose middle name is Entitlement. Much like yours used to be, Sheldon. She doesn't care who she hurts or how. So, why hide your relationship from her? You guys are going crazy trying to do that. Just be yourselves. What's the worst that could happen? She tells her uncle you two are in love? You two are equals in the eyes of the school. Just what is the crime there? Niki is not a student and Sheldon, you are not a professor. You are research partners. As long as you don't do the nasty in public, you're not doing anything criminal. I say go for it and let the little chit suffer. Now, we have to come up with a plan to get her good." She gave an evil chuckle, "I love a good revenge story. Say, are you guys going to the annual University Welcoming Picnic next weekend? You know the one where they welcome all the incoming freshmen?"

"Not that I know of, at least we hadn't planned on it. You hate those kinds of things, don't you?" Niki turned and asked Sheldon.

"Almost as much as being ill."

Penny crossed her arms in front of her, "Too bad, you are going now and Sheldon, you are going to invite the little bitch to go with you as your date."

His look was total confusion, "I'm not following you."

Penny beckoned Sheldon and Niki to come closer and began to outline her plan on a piece of paper. The grins on their faces became wider the more Penny wrote. "Don't worry," she said to them, "I'm gonna get Raj and Howard in on this, as well. Maybe Stuart, too. It will be fun. Just watch."

Sheldon's face suddenly turned sober, "You forgot one thing, Penny."

She looked up briefly from her writing, "What's that?"

"What if she gets angry and tells Siebert or Human Resources I sexually harassed her? That has been done before."

Penny addressed his concern in a practical voice, "Yeah, okay, Sheldon. She's probably going to get pissed off and then what? She's gonna say you came on to her? You grabbed her privates? Propositioned her? Let's get real here. Outside of those of us in the know, not one person on that entire campus has ever seen you act in a sexual way to anyone. Have they?"

He shook his head once more, "Not that I'm aware of."

"Look, sex and Dr. Sheldon Cooper are foreign concepts to each other in the minds of most people at the school. So relax about that. She may just do what you said, but who's gonna believe her? Nobody, that's who. Rest easy, my friend. Besides, Sheldon, done right, this will be wicked, wicked, fun"

Niki began to smile and grinned at him, "Like the lady said, Honey, relax. This _will_ be fun!"

At that moment, Leonard emerged from the bedroom and greeted both of them with, "Are you guys going to be busy tomorrow night?"

Sheldon turned to address his friend, glad for the diversion, "No, Leonard, not that I know of. Why do you ask?"

"Because Alfred and Mary just invited all of us out to dinner tomorrow after Penny's finished for the night, that's why."

Sheldon gave an exasperated sigh, "What is my mother up to now? Is she going to inform us she has signed up for a twerking class?"

This time it was Niki who rolled her eyes, "Sheldon, for the last time, let the pole incident go."

He sighed in defeat, "If you say so. Okay, Leonard, what is the significance of this invitation?"

"I'll tell you tomorrow at work. Right now, it's time to eat." The doorbell rang, "And there is our dinner."

Niki looked at Leonard, sniffed the air, and gave a crooked smile, "Let me guess, Thai?"

"You got it. I know how much you guys like Thai food."

Sheldon put his arm around Niki and tried to sound enthusiastic, as though they hadn't eaten Thai the night before, "That sounds…fabulous, Leonard! We can hardly wait to dig in, right Niki?"

"Right. Thanks, Leonard." She whispered in Sheldon's ear, "Let's hope Alfred and Mary hate Thai."

He put his lips close to her ear whispered back, "Agreed."

Sheldon unlocked the door to their apartment and he and Niki entered and sat down at the breakfast bar. He grabbed Niki's hand and asked her, "What do think of Penny's plan? I must admit, it has its merits, but will it actually produce the desired results?"

Niki chuckled softly, "I don't know if it will work or not, but it sounds like a whole lot of fun. Just think, we get to fuck with her mind instead of vice versa. I like that part."

Sheldon made a lazy outline of her breast with his finger and grinned at her, "What about the picnic? What do you think about her plan concerning that?"

"To be honest, I don't like the part about you asking her to the picnic. That could backfire on you if she did file a harassment charge. Why don't we tweak it a bit and you invite both of us?"

His hand crept under her blouse and wandered, "Yes, I much prefer your idea. The rest, though?"

She stifled a moan, "You mean at the picnic or in the office?"

His other hand joined the first, "Both, actually."

Niki leaned in and nibbled his ear, pressing her body closer to his, "Sheldon, for the first time since I've met the girl I am looking forward to working with her tomorrow. This will be a gas! Now, shall we take a shower and prepare for bed?"

Sheldon nodded and followed her into their bathroom. About ten minutes later, her voice rang out from the shower, "Sheldon Cooper, you were telling the truth; parts of your body _do_ react when we are kissing!"

 **Was Penny correct in her evaluations? Where does everybody go from here?**


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37: A Change in Plans

 **What is Penny's plan? Will it work? Can Penny's level of deviousness match Merla's?**

Sheldon pulled the car into the parking space and turned off the engine. But before they left the car, he turned to Niki and told her, "Are we both sure of our roles in today's production?"

Niki looked over at him and smile wickedly, "Of course, they were clearly defined by Penny last night. Remember, this has to be done gradually. We have to keep her guessing…for now."

He nodded, "I understand completely. I will do my part to ensure this plan is successful."

Niki kissed him deeply, and then added, "Yes, we have to regain our position as the horniest couple out of all of our friends."

Sheldon smiled and ran his hand through her hair, "That is true. We most certainly have a reputation to uphold. It is strange; I do believe I am hitting my sexual peak much later in life than my colleagues. That is the only logical explanation for my rabid desire for you. Of course, I also consider you extremely, what is the term Merla used? Oh yes, 'hot'."

Niki tried and failed to stifle a laugh, "Thank you, Cooper. Now remember little hints at first, just like we talked about and then increase things incrementally until we hit her full force at the picnic."

Sheldon reached for the door handle of the car, "I will try my hardest to follow the script."

Niki looked back at him as she exited the car from her side, "Intentional pun?"

He gave her his best smile, which clearly displayed his dimples, "You know me so well."

After carefully scanning the area to make sure they were not being observed, the brainy couple walked arm in arm together towards the campus building that held their office. Niki had one hand around Sheldon and the other holding her coffee cup. Before they got there, she dropped one of her hands and cupped his behind in a sensual manner.

Sheldon pulled her close and whispered into her ear, "Niki, I have observed that you seem to be exhibiting all the classic signs of being 'warm for my form'."

Niki giggled and replied, "What an astute hypothesis my dear Dr. Cooper."

Sheldon began to address her in his most formal physicist lecture tone, "Of course, this hypothesis needs to be investigated much more thoroughly before we can state it as being true."

Niki responded in the same manner, "Shall we research this topic more deeply at a later time?"

He laughed softly and asked her, "Intentional pun?"

Niki pulled open the door to their building and looked back over her shoulder at him, "Two can play that game, Cooper."

As they walked down the hallway towards their workplace, they both saw Merla Krane sitting expectantly in front of the office door. Instead of greeting her in an offhand manner, Sheldon threw her a warm smile and greeted her with, "Good morning, Merla. Waiting for us? That shows initiative. I appreciate that sort of attitude."

Niki looked from the young girl to Sheldon, "I told you she comes here earlier than she has to, Dr. Cooper. That is a good sign in an intern. I almost forgot, Good Morning, Merla. Please excuse me for being rude. Your punctuality is most acceptable."

Sheldon unlocked the door and told them both, "Well, shall we go inside? Let's see how much work we can accomplish today."

Niki went over to her desk and began to enjoy her morning cup of coffee from Starbucks. She smiled at Merla and explained, "I got a late start this morning, so I didn't have time for coffee at home. I have to have my java fix before I can function.

The girl challenged her, "Oh, did you oversleep? That's not good."

A mysterious grin appeared on Niki's face and she dreamily answered, "No. It was something else that made me run late." She looked at Sheldon and winked.

Well," he smiled back at her, "those things happen on occasion."

The girl looked entirely thrown off of her game. The two physicists had never interacted this way in front of her before. In fact, the word she had used to describe them both to her friends was uptight. Could they have something going on? She highly doubted it, but still, they seemed pretty friendly.

Niki tied her hair back and began to hum a song to herself while staring at her computer screen. Suddenly she spoke up, "Hey, did you guys know that it's National Lollipop Day today?"

Sheldon snorted while trying to suppress his laughter, "Do you want me to get you a lollipop Dr. Horner?"

"I do believe I can buy one for myself, but thank you for the offer, Dr. Cooper."

Merla's suspicions of something going on between the two Doctors were somewhat put to rest. They wouldn't act this way, so openly teasing each other, if they were actually involved. She was an engaged woman and he was…well, she hoped, Dr. Cooper was single.

She decided to start some conversation, so she asked them, "You know those guys I met at lunch time with you yesterday?"

Sheldon looked at her enthusiastically and replied, "Oh yes, Dr. Hofstadter, Dr. Koothrappali, and Mr. Wolowitz?"

She smiled back at him and nodded her head, "Yeah, those guys. What do they all do? Are they all physicists like you, Dr. Cooper?"

Sheldon took a sip of his tea and studied his computer screen. Something had caught his attention and he was not about to engage in any lengthy conversations for a bit, "Niki, would you please take this one? You are so much better at explaining things than I am, I tend to get lost in the details and confuse everyone."

Niki warmed at his praise and went over to her whiteboard and began to write an outline, "With pleasure, Dr. Cooper. Let's start with the gentleman sitting over there, shall we? Sheldon is a Theoretical Physicist. His work is based solely on math and formulas. He works with theories, not actual physical objects. He explores the application of the laws of physics on the universe. There are several theories bounced around by Theoretical Physicists; String Theory, Quantum Loop Gravity, and even Chaos Theory. Sheldon never studies three dimensional objects in and of themselves. He attempts to explain why those objects do what they do by using mathematical designs and paradigms. Sheldon's focus right now is on dark matter and the responding gravitational forces of black holes." She wrote this data in a graphic organizer format under his name, which she placed at the top of the board.

Directly under Sheldon's information she wrote the name, Dr. Hofstadter, and began the same organization of data under his name. "Leonard, Penny's husband, is an Experimental Physicist. Leonard designs experiments, or proofs, for the various theories Theoretical Physicists put before him. Leonard's field of study focuses on the observation of objects and things and how they react to each other based on the laws of physics. He uses physical event responses to prove or disprove the things that Sheldon says happen in the universe. Sheldon and Leonard have worked together several times in the past as Leonard always has part of his studies involved in Theoretical Physics. For the past few years, Leonard's research has centered on dark matter, much like Sheldon's, but he is studying the likelihood of it being a superfluid, while Sheldon is currently studying how light travels through it in differing frequencies after a supernova event. But they have worked together in the past on the superfluid theory. Leonard likes to dabble in both worlds."

Beside Leonard's name she wrote Dr. Koothrappali, "Raj, like me, is an Astrophysicist, but his area of expertise is in Particle Astrophysics. Raj studies very small particles of space matter. He studies what things in space are made of at their most basic level. Raj's research mostly focuses on the composition of stars and gases and he especially enjoys it when his work deals with nebulae. At the present time, Raj is taking part in the research Dr. Cooper and I are doing. But he does his own research as well." Under Raj's data, she wrote her own name, "I am also an Astrophysicist, but I study large celestial bodies and how they came to be, their properties, and how they all fit together in the universe. My focus has always been studying the life cycles of stars and the formation and physical properties of black holes. I also work on various SETI projects in my spare time. Like Sheldon, both Raj and I use math in our research, but we also employ observation, like Leonard. That is why Raj and I both have a passion for telescopes of all sizes, but especially Super Telescopes."

The last name she put on the board was that of Mr. Wolowitz. "Now, Howard is an Aerospace Engineer. He takes Sheldon's theories, Raj's and my observations, and Leonard's proofs and designs and uses these things to build equipment that helps further space exploration. Howard is on loan to this university from NASA. He is an astronaut who has been to the International Space Station twice. The last time was three years ago. So you see, we are all scientists who focus on the universe, but our fields of study are somewhat different."

Merla made a bored face, "That's cool and all, but who's the smartest?"

Niki turned from her whiteboard and faced the intern, "Do you mean intelligence measured by IQ?"

Merla nodded, "Sure, I guess."

Niki exclaimed proudly, "That would be Sheldon. His IQ is beyond genius level, it's about 185, isn't it?" She looked over at Sheldon for confirmation.

He looked up briefly from his computer, "187 to be exact."

Niki wrote 187 by Sheldon's name. "Then comes Raj. His is about 175." She put 175 next to Raj's name. "Leonard's is pretty close to Raj's, what is his IQ, Sheldon?"

He looked up quickly once more, "173."

Niki nodded and studied her chart once more, "That's about right. Last, but not least, is Howard. I believe his IQ has been measured at 165. So you see, all the guys are pretty much geniuses." She wrote the last two numbers next to their appropriate names.

Merla narrowed her eyes and asked Niki, "What about you?"

She hated this question, "Oh. My IQ is between 165 and 174. Every time it gets tested, mine changes. But, I'm smart enough. IQ numbers aren't everything." She glanced over at a frowning Sheldon, "They're really not. Let's just say all of us in our little group are extraordinarily bright."

Merla looked towards Sheldon and noticed he was still glued to his computer, "Okay, what about those guys' wives and girlfriends. What do you know about them?"

Niki wanted to get back to her work, so she tossed Sheldon the dry erase marker and said, "My dear, you're up."

Sheldon got up from his desk and move closer to Merla, "Very well. Leonard's wife, Penny, is an actress of some local renown. I would imagine her IQ is somewhere between 105 and 110. Howard is married to Bernadette. She is a microbiologist whose work entails eradicating deadly viruses and bacteria. I would estimate her IQ as being very close to Niki's." He turned to Niki and smiled, "Both of you are highly intelligent women. Raj is dating Amanda who teaches Astronomy and Chemistry at UCLA. I don't know her well, but I have noticed she is of above average intelligence; her IQ is most likely very close to Howard's in range."

"Okay, I get the IQ part, but who is actually the smartest? You know, the cleverest? The one with the most street smarts? The one you guys turn to when you're faced with real life problems, not scientific ones."

Both Sheldon and Niki spoke at the same time, "Penny."

Sheldon moved back behind his desk, jotted something down on a notepad and declared, "Now, if there are no more questions, I do believe we should get back to work. Merla, what would you care to do today?"

Merla crossed the room so that she was standing next to Sheldon, "What about that Plank theory stuff I was doing yesterday? I finally got the hang of that, sort of. Could I work on that for awhile?"

Sheldon thought for a moment and then recognition came to him, "Oh, do you mean Plank's Constant? Yes, I do believe you could do that." He handed her more printouts, "Here, Niki has more light frequencies printed out. Let's see if you can calculate the photon energy level of each."

While Merla began to work, Sheldon motioned Niki to come over to his desk. He had something he wanted to show her.

On his notepad he had written, _This is so very inane. I would much rather be fondling you, my dear_ _._

She grabbed the notepad and wrote back, _I am in total agreement. What's stopping you_ _?_

He retrieved the notepad and scribbled _,_ _A man needs to recharge a bit after a lust-filled morning_ _._

She just grinned broadly and mussed his hair, then printed on the page _,_ _How you do run on, Dr. Cooper._

He wrote her another note and winked, _At lunch?_

She giggled like a schoolgirl and wrote back, _I'll leave the arrangements up to you._

His pen moved across the pad once more and he sniggered as he wrote, _I intend to get you very warm._

Niki had to actually cover her mouth when she wrote, _And I intend to get a rise out of you._

Merla stared at the couple suspiciously and asked them, "What are you two giggling about?"

Niki thought quickly and answered, "Sheldon found some very funny jokes online and we were copying them." She had actually flashed back to middle school and the passing of notes about cute boys to her friends. She was having a great deal of fun with this. She mentally blew Penny a kiss of gratitude.

Merla began to stand up, "Can I see?"

Sheldon intercepted her and waved her back to her seat, "Oh, they were for the most part humorous ditties about quantum gravity and relativity. They would most likely not interest you at all."

Merla shook her head, "Scientists!"

Behind Merla's back, Niki leered at Sheldon and licked her lips. He found it hard to keep his composure and gave her a brief upturn of his lips before returning his attention to the work awaiting him. He briefly texted Leonard about lunch and then returned to concentrating on the physics quandary in front of him.

Lunch time eventually arrived and Merla asked them, "Are we going to go to the lunch room again?"

Sheldon shook his head and informed her, "No, I am sending you on a special mission. I want you to go to the commissary and get three turkey sandwiches, three fruit cups, and whatever beverage you desire. Niki and I shall have water." His face lit up with his special smile which brought out the blue in his eyes, "Can you do that?"

She was charmed, as he had fully intended her to be, "Of course I can, Dr. Cooper."

He walked over to her and handed her some money and patted her on the shoulder. "Good girl. Now, I also want you to find Dr. Hofstadter and tell him this: We will meet all of them at his apartment at 9:00 p.m. for our dinner rendezvous." He thought for a moment, "That is quite a bit of information to remember. Just tell him we will be over at his house at 9:00. Do you believe you can carry out this request?"

"Oh, sure, Dr. Cooper. But who is 'we'? You said 'we will meet them at his apartment'."

Sheldon waved the matter off as if it had no importance, "Oh that would be Niki and I. We are all social friends. Our group meets after work hours on a consistent basis. Now, here's the money and be on your way. My stomach is already informing me it is time to eat."

Merla took the money and hesitantly made her way to the door. She looked back and saw Sheldon at his white board and Niki focused on work at her desk and seemingly oblivious to anything going on around her. Satisfied that they were not deliberately avoiding her, she set off down the hall.

Sheldon locked the door behind Merla. He then walked over to Niki's desk to put two fingers under her chin and lifted her head up tenderly to meet his eyes. "I do believe I have bought us a great deal of alone time."

She returned his gaze and moved her keyboard to one side, "How much time do you think we have?"

He hastily checked his watch, "I have given Leonard explicit instructions to stall her, so I give an estimate of somewhere between 45 minutes to an hour."

Niki stood up and went over to Sheldon, wrapping both of her arms around his neck. "I suggest we put every minute of that time to good use." Her hands worked his belt buckle and in one sure move his pants fell down to his ankles. She led him to her desk and gently pushed him down into her chair and straddled him. "Now, Dr. Cooper, you will see what coitus is like when someone else controls the moves." She asked him in a teasing voice, "Do you think we have time for this?"

He reassured her in a voice that was becoming hoarse with desire, "Do not be concerned. I have impressed upon Leonard the importance of calling us when she begins her return journey."

With that, Niki removed her own pants and with a devilish grin, straddled him on the chair.

Sheldon gave a gasp as she proceeded to set the tone and the pace of their coupling. Every time he thought he was close to finishing, she slowed or sat still, reveling in this sweet torture she was providing them both. Finally, she could wait no longer and pressed her hips against him tightly and greatly increased her tempo and brought them both to climax. A loud moan escaped from her lips while he settled for a simple, "My god!"

Once his breathing returned to normal, he stroked her hair and told her, "Niki, I have never felt that level of prolonged passion during coitus before today. Is that what it is like for you when I am on top and in control?"

She grinned and smoothed his hair back into some semblance of order, "When you are teasing me? More or less. Nice, isn't it?"

He nodded, smiled at her, and checked his watch once more. "I suppose we should wash up, fix our clothes, and present ourselves to the returning Merla as serious scientists who have just spent the last thirty minutes deep in our research."

Niki giggled, "Then only you and I will know what we were truly up to. Oh yes, we _were_ deep in our research, weren't we? Penny was right; this is such wicked, wicked, fun!"

The rest of the day proved to be much easier for the two physicists than the day before. While Merla still never addressed Niki personally, she did complete most of the work given her, even if it wasn't all done correctly. Sheldon's voice could still be heard intoning, 'Actually no, but close' after almost every task given her. He happily settled for that much. Niki remained upset at the fact that Merla still fawned over Sheldon and ignored her, but took some comfort from the fact that she was no longer being openly insulted by the girl. She decided that she would look at the glass as half full, rather than half empty.

When the work day was over, Merla again asked for a ride home, but Sheldon reminded her that he had to get home and prepare for an evening out. As on the days before, the girl left disappointed.

Niki and Sheldon high fived each other after Merla had left the office. He beamed at Niki and made an observation, "I do believe the girl's deportment improved slightly today over yesterday."

Niki turned to look at him as they left the office and countered his comment with, "Slightly? Sheldon, she almost did a 180. Okay, maybe not that much, more like a 125. She still hangs on you like a leech."

As they approached the car, Sheldon grinned at her and replied, "Ah, but at least she is working, albeit incorrectly, and no longer insulting you every thirty seconds."

Niki hated to rain on his parade, but she felt compelled to warn him, "Let's not get ahead of ourselves, here. We still have to work with her tomorrow. What do you say we go home and get ready for dinner with the parents tonight? We could use a diversion."

Sheldon sat back in his seat and mused out loud, "I wonder what my mother and Alfred are planning to tell us? This had better be worth the cancellation of Halo night. The only thing that Leonard texted me about that issue today was to ask if we had set a date for the wedding. We have done that, haven't we?"

Niki looked over at him before she started the car, "I believe we said sometime in April, but nothing past that."

He nodded and rested his chin in one hand, "I see. Well, let's put that issue to rest and set the date now then." He pulled out his phone and searched for a calendar, Niki did likewise.

Niki had a suggestion, "How does Saturday the 18th sound to you? We can have our bachelor and bachelorette parties Friday night on the ship. We'd only have to pay for an extra night for everyone. It will be pricey, but worth the convenience."

Sheldon shut down his phone and fastened his seat belt, "That makes a good deal of sense to me. Yes, I support that arrangement. We have to make our reservations and begin working with our wedding planner in the near future if April is when we want to make our relationship official."

Niki backed up the car and proceeded to head for home, "Should we begin this weekend?"

"That sounds fine, but I am meeting Leonard and company for paintball on Sunday."

At a stop light she looked over at him and asked, "So? At this point, all we have to do is make a couple of phone calls. You will be completely free to shoot paint pellets at the opposition by Sunday."

"Don't belittle the activity, Dr. Horner. You have engaged in it more than a time or two and seemed to enjoy yourself."

The light turned green and she began to drive, "I admit, I have enjoyed paintball for the most part, but it was your idea to start planning our wedding this soon, not mine."

He ignored the last part of her statement and focused on the first, "Paintball is a fine activity, Niki. It provides exercise, camaraderie with your friends, and helps with hand/eye coordination."

Niki grinned and nodded, "Which is vital to every theoretical physicist. You never know when that darn whiteboard will attack and you'll need to defend yourself."

He briefly scowled at her, "Very funny. Shall we change the subject to tonight's dinner with my mother and Alfred?"

She concentrated on her driving as she answered him, "Fine. Why do you think they want to see not only us, but Leonard and Penny as well?"

Sheldon stared out the window and mused, "Maybe Alfred is going on another dig in some god forsaken corner of the world and he will regale us for hours about the native people that used to live there. That is _always_ fascinating. Good lord, just shoot me now."

She turned to briefly look at him, "I thought you liked Alfred."

He placed his hand on her leg and patted it, "I have no problem with the man. I have actually grown quite fond of him; he treats my mother very well. But, his stories…he can go on and on with minutiae that interests no one but himself."

Niki barely stopped herself from laughing out loud, "You've never met anyone who did that before, huh?"

He shook his head, "Not that I can recall, and you know I have an eidetic memory."

Niki's eyes almost rolled to the back of her head, "All right, then. Hey, here we are, home at last!"

Three hours later, Sheldon was knocking on the Hofstadter's door, "Leonard and Penny." _knock, knock, knock_ "Leonard and Penny." _knock, knock, knock "_ Leonard and Penny." _knock, knock, knock._

"Third time's the charm", Niki muttered to herself.

Penny opened the door and greeted Niki first, "Hey, Girlfriend!"

Niki responded with, "Hey, Girl!"

Sheldon looked over the tops of the two ladies' heads and greeted Leonard with a droll, "Hey, Boyfriend."

"Hey, Boy." Leonard answered him in the same manner.

The two women exchanged puzzled looks, and then broke into hysterical laughter. "Sheldon, that was hilarious!" Niki told him, fighting to regain her composure.

His eyebrow lifted slightly, "No more ridiculous than the salutation performed by you two."

Penny finally caught her breath and reassured him, "Okay, Sweetie, we will never do that in front of you guys, again. I promise. But, god, you guys were funny!"

Sheldon entered the apartment and sat in his spot on the couch, "Not to change this fascinating subject, but are we meeting my mother and Alfred here, or at the restaurant?"

Leonard was staring at the phone in his hand, "We're meeting them at the Peppermill on Walnut. They just texted me. We should be leaving soon; I said we'd meet them there in about 15 minutes.

Penny grabbed her purse, "Let's go, you guys must be starved."

Sheldon tried to ease her worry, "No, just somewhat hungry. We heated up some leftovers we had saved in our refrigerator to sustain us until dinner."

She cocked her head and asked him, "Leftovers? What did you have?"

Niki grabbed her bag and headed for the door, "Thai."

Leonard gave his friends a quizzical look, "But you had that with us last night and…oh."

Niki smiled at both of them, "It doesn't matter. We won't be having Thai food again. Will we?"

Sheldon took her arm and guided her towards the door, "Niki, we are going to the Peppermill. I highly doubt they serve Thai food at a Prime Rib restaurant."

Niki suddenly asked the other couple in a concerned voice, "Hey, do either of you guys know why we're all meeting together? One of them isn't sick, are they?"

Penny shook her head, "No, Leonard and I know why, but we wanted them to tell you guys, too."

Niki threw up her hands in frustration, "But why have this dinner? They could have just called us."

Leonard gave a small laugh, "They wanted to discuss some 'things' with all of us there, plus, Penny wanted Prime Rib."

"You are not going to inform us as to what these 'things' are?"

Niki sighed and walked with Sheldon to the door, "You'll know soon enough, Sheldon. Now, let's get going. We don't want to be late."

 **What do Alfred and Mary want to tell everyone? And how will these 'things' affect our couples? Read on and find out.**


	38. Chapter 38: It's On

Chapter 38: It's On

 **How will dinner go with the parents? And what is the next phase of Penny's plan for Merla?**

Leonard walked up to the hostess at the restaurant and inquired, "We're here with the Hofstadter party?"

The young lady behind the desk smiled and motioned them to follow her, "Right this way."

As they approached the table, Sheldon greeted the older couple, "Good evening, Mother. Hello, Alfred."

Leonard did the same, though a tad less formally, "Hey, Dad, Mary."

Mary face brightened when she saw Niki and Penny, "I see y'all have brought your ladies with you. How have all of you been?" She addressed Niki directly, "You look tired, young lady"

Niki took her seat and studied the menu, looking up briefly to smile at Sheldon's mother, "I'm fine, Mary. Works been a bit trying, but that's all."

Mary's head immediately swiveled to address her son, "Shelly, is there something you're not tellin' me?"

Her husband put his hand on hers and patted in a calming manner, "Mary, leave that be. If Sheldon didn't inform you, it can't be that important."

Sheldon picked up his own menu and gave a long sigh, "Mother, this has been a very recent development, I haven't had the opportunity to share it with you yet."

Mary nodded, "Okay, what's been troublin' you two?"

Niki placed her menu back on the table and looked straight at Mary, "Oh, Sheldon and I have gotten an intern. Totally not at our request, by the way."

Sheldon's mother smiled warmly, "That's nice. Is he or she a big help to you?"

Both couples gave an emphatic, "NO!"

Sheldon addressed Mary in a regret-filled voice, "Mother, I hate to tell tales out of school, so to speak, but the girl is a monster."

Her head turned back to face Niki, "Is that true, Honey?

Niki nodded sadly, "Every word of it. The term monster would be flattering her."

Sheldon continued, "Why would the Administration send us an intern who knows next to nothing of physics? She is totally incapable of aiding in our research at all."

Penny grinned, "Plus, she's got a huge crush on Sheldon."

Mary's mouth made a perfect O, "Is that right, son?"

He studied his menu intently, focused on avoiding the embarrassing question, "Yes, she has a tenuous understanding of basic physics at best."

Mary knew her son and pressed the issue, "I wasn't talkin' about the science stuff, Shelly. Is she really keen on you?"

"Mother…" he moaned and rolled his eyes.

Niki answered Mary's question, "Oh yeah. She never lets him out of her sight if she can help it."

Penny couldn't help but giggle, "Plus, she cramps their style big time."

Mary turned to Leonard's wife with a questioning look on her face, "What do you mean, darlin'?"

"She's the niece of the President of the college, so they have to be careful to keep their relationship under wraps, which is next to impossible for your son and his honey." Penny winked playfully at Sheldon.

Mary was still confused and asked, "How's that?"

Penny changed to a matter-of-fact tone, "Usually, they can't keep their hands off of each other."

Sheldon glared at Leonard's wife, "Penny, need I remind you that you are speaking to my mother?"

"What, she thinks you don't hug and kiss Niki?"

He went back to studying the menu, "I do believe, on that particular subject, my mother has been given ample evidence to the contrary."

Penny looked at Sheldon and gave a knowing smile, "Oh yeah, prom. That was classic."

Alfred interjected himself into the conversation, "Now that was what I liked seeing, spontaneous affection. You know, it is only our modern Western society that has made public displays of affection taboo. The ancient Romans…"

Leonard interrupted his father, "Dad, stop. No one here cares to hear about the ancient Romans. We came to discuss your plans, remember?"

Alfred began to explain the dilemma faced by him and his wife, but got sidetracked after a bit, "Oh yes, thank you for reminding me, son. Now, in November, I will be supervising a new dig in the interior of Australia. It will be most exciting, we will be hunting for artifacts from an ancient Aboriginal tribe who supposedly traveled and lived in the general vicinity. Quite an amazing people, actually. The tales we have heard tell of a nomadic people who managed to set up some sort of ordered civilization that included laws and some sort of governmental structure. We are looking to find proof of those things and, hopefully, a sample of written language. We hope to…"

Leonard put his head in his hands and spoke to the father through his clenched fingers, "Dad, enough about the aborigines of the past, why are we all here tonight? Sheldon and Niki came here after a long day at work and while I'm sure they would be fascinated by your dig any other time, tonight, I would imagine they are tired and would like to know the true purpose of this dinner."

Alfred nodded in agreement with his son, "I suppose you are right, Leonard. Okay. For several months later this year and part of the next, I will be in Australia for a week and then home for a week. Now generally Mary stays in Texas whenever I'm gone, but she wants to be around Sheldon and Niki when they are planning their wedding."

Mary interjected, "Oh, not to butt in or anything, I just want to see what you all plan and how it's going to look. I promise, I won't interfere or anything. When are you gettin' married, Shelly? Have you two set a date?"

Niki answered her kindly, "That's sound great, Mary. I'd love to have your help, actually. We've decided on April 18th. So, when will you need to have an apartment?"

Alfred looked at Niki, "By the first of November if possible."

Sheldon decided to enter the conversation, "Mother, how many bedrooms will you be needing?"

Mary thought for a moment, "Two. And two bathrooms. One for us and one in case your sister, brother, or Meemaw come for a visit. You can be sure your Meemaw will insist on visiting at least once before the wedding. I'd also like it to be close to downtown Pasadena. There's a church I like on Lake Avenue and I want to be in walkin' distance to some good restaurants and stores. Now, can you help us?"

Niki nodded her head, grinned, and turned to her man, "Sheldon, are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

He grinned back at her and said, "Mother, you have seen the apartment I share with Niki."

Mary turned a disapproving eye towards the couple, "Yes, I have and I can't say I approve of you two livin' in sin, but you're getting married soon, so I guess I have to accept that." She picked up her own menu and pretended to be looking at the listings.

"Mother, you would have to accept it if we weren't getting married."

Mary put the menu down, "But you are, aren't you?"

He reassured his mother, but with a caveat, "Of course, marriage is very important to me. But I don't feel my relationship with Niki would be incomplete without marriage."

Mary searched Niki's face, "Darlin', how do you feel about all of this?"

Niki was confused, "What, the apartment? Living in sin? Our wedding? What exactly do you want my feelings on?"

"Well, all of it, girl."

Niki sighed and began to answer Mary's question, "Okay. Let's begin with living in sin. It is my personal belief that nothing intimate that two people do who are as closely bonded, and in love as your son and I are, is sinful. Our wedding? I feel excited and very lucky. The apartment business? Sheldon, are you thinking what I'm thinking?

Sheldon looked over at her, "Perhaps. Niki, when do we move to Altadena?"

Niki threw him a 'You're kidding me' look and told him, "You know when. You're supposed to have that eidetic memory."

Within a second, he had total recall, "Oh yes. It will be towards the end of October. Are you considering having my mother take over the lease? It would save us the expense of the penalty we were going to incur for moving early. I do believe it would pose no great difficulty for us to talk to the property management office and negotiate a seamless transition from having the lease in Niki's name to yours and Alfred's, Mother."

Niki continued where Sheldon had left off, "Our apartment has two bedrooms, two baths, is within walking distance to some fine restaurants and theaters, and is a short bus ride from the church you admire. This could work. And no one would have to drive around town trying to find you a place. You and Alfred would be very comfortable there. It is quite large for a two bedroom apartment. Sheldon and I never feel we crowd each other at all."

Mary thought for a moment and then said, "I do like that open floor plan between the kitchen and the living room, that's real nice."

Niki added, "And handy. Sheldon and I can easily converse while one of us is preparing dinner."

Leonard felt his ears had deceived him, so he asked in a disbelieving voice, "Sheldon prepares dinner?"

Niki chuckled and shook her head, "Not really. But he's real good at dishing out the takeout food or heating things up in the microwave. He makes a decent breakfast, also."

Alfred put in his own thoughts on the matter, "Okay, that sounds very good. But perhaps Leonard would like us to take over his lease. He and Penny are moving out around the same time, are they not?"

Leonard responded to his father's question, "Yeah, Dad, but remember about our elevator? Do you and Mary want to climb those stairs every day?"

Mary elbowed her husband, "Lord, no! Alfred, Sheldon and Niki's place sounds perfect. The elevator works and everything. When can we do all of this?"

Sheldon did some mental calculations and informed Mary, "Mother, I do think talking to the managers in September will be more than enough notice to have the arrangements settled to everyone's satisfaction. Now, can we order our dinner? Niki and I have to be at work by 9:00 tomorrow, and we'd love to be able to get at least seven hours of sleep."

Penny snorted, "Yeah, like you guys will be sleeping. You two just want to get home and get busy."

Sheldon corrected Penny in a very practical voice, "Not so, Penny. We took care of our carnal needs earlier this afternoon."

Mary looked sternly at her son, "Sheldon! I'm your mother and I'm sittin' right here. I don't need to hear that sort of thing."

"Then cover your ears, Mother, because I was also going to tell Penny and Leonard that our lunch hour coitus was far above our usual high standards."

Leonard shot Sheldon an exasperated look, "Buddy, I don't think even I want to hear any more about you two and your impossible-to-match love life. Okay?"

"As you wish, Leonard." The waiter approached their table and asked if they were ready to order, Sheldon began, "Now, I do believe I will have the prime rib and a diet coke. Niki?"

"I'll have the Cobb Salad and a glass of raspberry iced tea, please."

Soon, everyone had ordered, the food arrived, and the evening ran its usual course. Alfred revealed more than anyone wanted to know about his upcoming dig, Mary chatted about her church work, Sheldon and Leonard talked shop, and Penny and Niki entertained themselves with girl talk. By the time the evening was over, everyone was satisfied with the apartment plans and was excited by the prospect of seeing more of Mary while she would be in town.

Later that night, in bed, Sheldon turned to Niki and asked, "Are you really pleased that my mother will be in town for an extended period of time?"

Niki put down the book she was reading and answered him, "Of course. I really like your mother. And besides, that way everyone in your family can come out here to meet me and we won't have to interrupt our work to fly back to Texas."

He kissed her on the nose softly, "That is an advantage, isn't it? Perhaps it will be a pleasant visit. I'd love you to meet my Meemaw."

Niki smiled and went back to her book, "I'm sure I'll like her."

Sheldon continued, "She's blunt, opinionated, and sometimes a bit pushy. But she loves me unconditionally."

Niki put down her book for good, "Now I know I'll like her. She reminds me of me!"

Sheldon studied Niki closely, "Yes, come to think of it, you are quite a bit like her. Maybe that is why I adore you."

Niki gave him a sly look, "Are you sure there aren't other reasons?"

"Of course, just a minute. He seductively pulled the top of her nightdress down, "Let me give you an example of some other things I love about you. I love this," he caressed her breasts, "and this," his ran one hand down her leg, "and…" he stopped as his excitement was growing rapidly.

Niki pressed her body against his, "Yeah, I think, as Leonard so correctly put it, that we do have an impossible-to-match love life."

Sheldon made a statement which startled her, "I have set myself a goal to sexually catch up with all of my friends within the next five years. Do you wish to join me on this quest?"

Niki sat straight up, adjusted her sleepwear, and looked at him, "What, is our love life going to become some sort of RPG?"

He became even further aroused, "That is a rather provocative thought, is it not?

Niki thought about the possibilities, lay back down and snuggled up to Sheldon, "What if I get high score? What's my prize?"

He grinned broadly, "A lifetime spent with me."

"Let's get playing, then. I've already got your joystick right here in my hand."

The next morning Sheldon and Niki arrived at their office in high spirits. The quandary about what to do with the lease on their apartment had been solved and Niki was looking forward to spending more time with Mary. She was truly fond of Sheldon's mother and would be happy to include her in their wedding plans.

As usual, Merla was waiting for them in front of the office door. She brightened when she saw Sheldon and a sour look appeared on her face when she noticed Niki walking right next to him. The girl stood up quickly and went to Sheldon's side. "Good morning, Dr. Cooper, what are we doing today?

Sheldon grinned at her; this tweaking with Merla's mind was getting to be quite enjoyable for him. "I was thinking we could take all of the research we have completed and run it down to Dr. Hofstadter and see what he can do with it."

Merla was curious, "Where is his office?"

Niki informed her, "Just down the hall and around the corner. He has more of a lab than an office. It is quite a fascinating place to visit."

"Let's go." Merla chirped. Then, NIki got up from her desk and prepared to join them. "Wait, is she coming, too?"

Sheldon looked at the girl strangely, "Why wouldn't she? Dr. Horner's research makes up a great deal of our study. Come, let's not dally. Leonard, like me, greatly appreciates punctuality."

Sheldon and Niki both grabbed their briefcases and headed for the door. Sheldon motioned Merla to follow them, which she did with tempered enthusiasm.

Niki decided to be the one who knocked on Leonard's office; she didn't want the girl to be too freaked out…yet. Sheldon's unique knocking ritual often had the effect of either frustrating or annoying people and they didn't want that from Merla. That time would be in the near future, but not on this day.

Niki announced, "Leonard, we're here!"

The door opened and Penny stood in front of them. "Hey, girl. Hey, Sheldon. Who's this?" She pointed to Merla, "Is this your intern you told me about?"

Sheldon took over the introductions, "Yes, she is. Merla Krane, this is Penny Hofstadter. Penny, this is Merla.

Penny looked intently at the girl. This was going to be so good. "So, is this the one who screws up all your research? I can't say I can talk. I don't know my ass from my elbow about this shit. Just like you."

Merla wheeled toward Penny, an enraged look on her face, "What the fuck are you talking about, lady? I do NOT screw up their work."

Penny ignored the girl's anger when she replied with a sly grin, "That's not what I've heard."

Merla huffed, "Hey, lady, I know a lot about physics!"

Leonard decided to call her bluff. "Okay. What is Avogadro's Constant used for? And her name is Penny, by the way, not lady."

Merla looked a bit puzzled, "Is it like Plank's Constant?" she asked hopefully.

Niki shook her head and tried hard not to laugh, "Nope. Different guys."

The intern stammered, "Uh, I haven't learned that one yet.

Leonard stared at the girl in disbelief, "And yet the university placed you with two of its top physicists? Merla, Avogadro's Constant measures the number of atoms or molecules in one mole of just about anything. Sheldon, why is she with you guys again? I'm lost here."

Sheldon dismissed his question with a wave of his hand, "Never mind, Leonard. The girl will come around. She does have her uses. I expressly brought her here so that she could see physics in action. Niki and I have brought you some of our data and we thought it might be educational for her to see what you actually do with it."

Leonard nodded, "Okay, buddy. Hand over your info. You too, Niki. Is Raj coming? He's in on this study, too, isn't he?"

Sheldon walked over to Leonard and explained, "Raj has informed me that he wishes to work on his part of the research a bit longer before presenting it to you. I do believe he may be on the cusp of an important discovery."

They gave Leonard their briefcases; he removed a stack of papers from each and then began to read intently. "Okay, let's see what I can do with this. It looks like you all are close to something very important."

Penny began to converse with Niki, "What do you think of Sheldon's mother staying in town for the winter?

Niki's face brightened and she replied to her friend, "I'm really looking forward to it. Admit it; we all enjoy her company, even Sheldon. Especially when she stays off of stripper poles." Sheldon turned to her and rolled his eyes.

"What?" Merla exclaimed, completely lost as to what the two women were talking about.

Penny patted the girl on the shoulder as she went over to join Leonard, "Long story, sweetie. Let's just say the lady surprised us all that day."

Niki snickered, "She especially surprised Alfred."

"Who the fuck is Alfred?"

Niki shot Merla one of her most severe looks, "Watch your tongue, please. Alfred is Mary's husband, Leonard's father, Penny's father-in-law, and Sheldon's stepfather.

Merla did a double take, "Say what?"

Penny put an arm around her husband and informed the girl, "Almost all of us are related in some way, shape, or form in our group of friends."

"What's the guy to you?" She asked Niki.

"Just someone I know and like. For now." Niki was thinking of the future and her marriage.

Merla was confused and asked Niki, "What do you mean by that?"

Niki shrugged, "Just that. Things can change, that's all. For now, I like Alfred quite a bit. But I'm not related to him at all, so I'm not obligated to keep the relationship going if I don't care to do so."

Their intern looked at both Niki and Sheldon in confusion, "That sounds a little cold."

Niki turned away from Merla entirely and began to address her friend, "I've been accused of worse, so I'll let that one go. Penny, do you want to get together with Bernie tomorrow night? It's been ages since we've all gotten together."

Penny turned to Niki and replied in a happy voice, "I'm there, totally."

Merla tried to pin Niki down, "Who's Bernie? Your fiancé?"

Sheldon hid his mirth by turning away from the girl while Niki laughed so hard tears fell from her eyes, "No. Bernie is short for Bernadette. She's Howard Wolowitz's wife. She's another of my best friends."

Penny kept the conversation going, "Hey, Nik, could we invite Georgia and Amanda, too? They're pretty cool."

Niki looked from Sheldon to Penny and replied, "That's a great idea! Why didn't I think of it? Merla, remember when Sheldon and I told you that Penny was the smartest of all of us? Things like this just back that up."

The intern was becoming even more confused and Sheldon and Niki were loving it, "Who are Georgia and Amanda? More scientists?"

Niki shook her head and explained to the girl, "Not really. Amanda teaches science at UCLA and Georgia, I believe, is a neonatal nurse. Is that right, Penny?"

Leonard interjected himself into the conversation, "Yeah, she works at Huntington Memorial."

Desperate to contribute something, Merla asked, "What scientist is she with?"

Niki flashed the girl a sympathetic smile, "She's not. She's with another friend of ours, Stuart Bloom. Stuart is a local business owner. And to further confuse you, Amanda is Dr. Koothrappali's girlfriend. It's a little confusing to keep us all straight, but we manage."

Leonard dimmed the lights and announced, "I hate to break up all the chatter, but is everyone ready for the light show?"

The all nodded and lined up on one side of Leonard.

Leonard placed a large mirror on one end of the room and a light source at the other. He then aimed and shot the light at the mirror. "Did you see what just happened?" he asked Merla.

She nodded enthusiastically, "Yeah, the light came right back at you."

Sheldon asked her, "And that is called?"

Merla drew a blank, "Uh…"

Leonard graciously gave her a hint, "What do mirrors do?"

The girl's face brightened, "Oh, it's reflecting!"

Leonard continued, "Very good. Now, I'm going to put this apparatus where the mirror was. Can you tell me what this is?"

Merla guessed, "Something black?" Niki couldn't help herself; she had to turn to hide her laughter.

Leonard kept up his patience, "Close. It's called a black body. You do know what a black body does, right?"

"I wouldn't count on it," Sheldon muttered.

She proved Sheldon's statement by replying, "Not really."

Leonard explained very carefully, "Okay, what did the mirror do?"

"It reflected the light."

Leonard generously gave the girl a smile, "Right. So what is the opposite of reflect?"

Merla was getting uncomfortable, "Uh, I don't know."

Niki aided the girl, "Absorb. A black body absorbs light, instead of reflecting it."

Merla stared at Niki rudely, "So what?"

Sheldon sighed and informed her, "We can use this blackbody to study how light enters a black hole and how we can measure if its frequency affects its absorption rate at all."

Merla perked up a bit, "Oh, is that what I was doing with Plank's Constant?"

Niki turned to Sheldon and whispered to him, "Duh."

Leonard began again, "Partly, yes. Now, why do you think Sheldon and NIki want to study light and black holes?"

Merla took a wild guess, "Does it have to do with light?"

Leonard grinned at her with exclaimed, "Bingo! They want to see if we can in any way, shape, or form, control how quickly light enters a black hole and if there is any way out again."

"Isn't there a way out of everything?"

Sheldon shook his head, "Not a black hole, at least that we KNOW of. That is Niki's area of this study."

Merla pointed to Leonard, "Oh, why aren't you doing that? You're pretty smart."

Penny had to hold Niki back and whispered into her ear, "Consider the source, Sweetie."

Leonard countered her remark with, "I'm not as knowledgeable as she is about this area of physics. My focus is more on dark matter, not light."

Merla struggled to understand and then gave up. She decided to steer the conversation back to her level, "Oh. Hey, can I ask you a question?"

Leonard smiled and nodded, "Sure."

"Just between you, me, and the walls, do you think Dr. Cooper wants to sleep with your wife? In real life she's even hotter than her pics on the phone. Maybe she would like to try him out in the sack, too."

This time it was Niki who held Penny back, "Remember, consider the source."

Leonard turned to the girl, pointed to the door, and coldly ordered her, "Please leave…now."

Merla snickered, "Hit a nerve, did I?"

Leonard expressed his anger through gritted teeth, "No, you have just majorly insulted me, my wife, and my best friend. I'm sorry Sheldon, Niki, but I will have to ask you to leave as well."

Niki looked at Leonard sympathetically, "That's okay. We understand. Come on, Merla, it's time to go."

Leonard calmed himself and added, "Sheldon, Niki, I'll run some tests on your data and let you know what happened as soon as I can. Can I ask you a favor, though?"

Sheldon went to his friend and squeezed his shoulder, "Of course, Leonard." Niki was still attempting to hold Penny at bay.

Leonard pointed at Merla, "Never, ever, bring that girl around me again."

Niki walked toward the door with Sheldon in her wake, "Have no fear, Leonard. I know just how you feel." She then grabbed the girl by the arm and told her, "Play times over, lady."

As they hurried back to their office, Sheldon and Niki exchanged chagrined looks. They didn't quite know what to say to Merla, but she spared them the effort when she announced, "My dad just texted me. I have to leave now; we've got relatives to pick up from the airport. I'll probably be back Monday or Tuesday. Oh, tell Dr. Hofstadter and his wife I was just kidding, okay?"

Niki muttered under her breath, "Sure thing…bitch."

Sheldon said loud enough for her to hear, "We will pass on your words to Leonard. But don't expect him to understand."

Merla shook her head, "I was just kidding, you know?"

Sheldon turned to face her, rage and embarrassment streaming from every pore of his body, "No, I do not know. You have accused me of desiring sexual relations with my best friend's wife. That was insulting to Penny, Leonard, and me. I would think very carefully before you say something like that again."

Merla began to walk away from them, "Oh come on. Get off my case. I didn't mean anything by it. You guys take offense real easy, don't you?"

"The proper word is 'easily' and I wish you good day." Sheldon opened the office door and he and Niki disappeared inside.

Niki walked over to her desk and saw that she had received a text from Penny. _Nik,_ _are you ready to play real dirty with this girl? This is WAR!_

"OMG!" She exclaimed to Sheldon.

He turned to her for an explanation, "Whatever do you mean?"

"I just got a text from Penny regarding Merla. It's On."

*************************************************************************************

 **I do believe Merla is in for a world of hurt. What is Penny planning for her? My guess it is something clever, yet devious.**


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter 39 : Picnic

While Niki was busy texting with Penny, Sheldon sat at his desk, deep in thought:

 _How could that nefarious and malicious wench have said such a thing? I have never had a single thought about Penny in that way. Oh, in years past I ridiculed her lack of education and what I perceived as her slovenliness. How I regret that now. Penny has proven to be a true friend who has had my back no matter what has happened to me. She has been nothing but kind and supportive to me for so many years now, how can I ever repay her kindness? And Leonard's. No one has ever had a friend as true as Leonard Hofstadter, no one. He has put up with my ill treatment of him in the past and has still remained such a good friend. I remember Leonard saying at the birthday party Amy arranged for me, that I was like a brother to him. How I wish that I had told him the same thing! Leonard is much closer to me than my own brother will ever be. And to be accused of lusting after his wife! I could never do that. What if Leonard believes that bitch? Or Penny believes I have held such thoughts? Or, dear lord, Niki? To lose any of these people who are so precious to me would be a nightmare. I am not a violent man, but if that happened, I might just be driven to something dark and drastic. Oh Niki! How could anyone believe I would ever desire another woman besides you? How would I live without your sweet smile greeting me every morning? After you have had your coffee, of course. I need your challenging me to try new things and your confidence that I will excel at those same things. We have helped each other heal and grow so very much, we need each other. If I get the chance, I will make it my mission to tell all of my friends, family, and Niki, just how much I love them and how much they mean to me. God, we aren't close friends, in fact, I don't know if you actually exist. But if you do, I am praying that you keep the people I love close to me. I have been such an ass most of my life and I want to change that in so many ways. Does Niki really know how I feel about her? Today, I promise You, I will give the woman I care about so deeply no doubts about how much I love and need her. When I think of all of my self-centered, crass, and annoying habits of the past, God, I am ashamed. I have truly been humbled today. So if you exist, hear this with the sincerity in which it was delivered. If you don't exist, well, I have lost nothing for trying._

Meanwhile, Niki and Penny continued to text.

 _Nik, now I know what you and poor Sheldon have been going through. This is one evil intern you guys have been saddled with._

 _Some days, it makes it very difficult to come in to work. And that used to be our passion!_

 _Sweetie, tell Sheldon that Leonard and I know that bitch was lying. He has never, ever, made a sexual suggestion to me. As far as my romantic thoughts, they've only been for Leonard for years now. You know, in all of his 46 years, Sheldon has loved and wanted only two women, you and Amy. He's different like that. He loves you, honey. Never forget that._

 _Oh, I have never doubted Sheldon's love for me. He is different, I'll give you that, but we all have something unique about us. I'm impatient as hell, have a true potty mouth on occasion, and can have a bit of a temper. Sheldon puts up with all of that and is loyal, kind, loving, and actually, pretty surprising at times. He will make me breakfast in bed on a whim, help me clean or do laundry, get us tickets to a movie I have been dying to see, or take me dancing when I need to unwind. I love him so much, Penny. I would never think that either of you would…dear god, NO!_

 _Sweetie, Leonard told me to tell you to check on Sheldon. Still waters run deep and he may be more hurt by this than any of us. Can you do that?_

 _Of course, right away. Penny?_

 _What?_

 _Thanks for being our friend. You're the best!_

 _So are you, Sweetie. Now go take care of Sheldon, okay?_

 _OK._

Niki looked over at Sheldon sitting at his desk and noticed he had his head in his hands. She went over to him and put her arms around him from behind. "Sheldon, are you okay?"

She could barely hear his answer, "I've been better."

Niki stroked his hair gently, "Can I help in any way?"

He shook his head, but still refused to look up, "Tell me you don't believe what that girl said."

Niki held him even tighter, "I never believed it for a second. Sheldon, Leonard and Penny just told me to tell you that they don't believe a word of it, either."

He looked up, almost afraid to believe her words. "They don't? You don't?"

She touched his cheeks with her fingers, "No, Sweetheart. We don't. Sheldon let me tell you something. You are the most transparent person I have ever known. When you are irritated, it shows. When you are pleased, it shows. When you love someone, it shows. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you love me."

"I would never…with Penny of all people!" He shuddered at the thought of betraying both Niki and Leonard in that fashion.

She kissed the top of his head, "I know, I know. You are an extremely loyal and honest person. That is why your friends have stuck around you all of these years.

He hung his head in guilt, "But I have treated them so badly in the past…"

Niki laid her head on top of his, "That was in the past. Let's leave it there. We live in the present and now you go to bat for your friends whenever possible. You love them and they know it. Just like I know you love me. However, I do have a question for you."

Sheldon turned around and looked up at her, "What is it?

"Why were you worried that Leonard, Penny, and I would believe that beast?"

He dropped his head once more, "It was Leonard, his eyes."

She placed her chin back on the top of his head and gently asked him, "What about them?"

Sheldon's head hit the table and he cried, "They looked at me so coldly, like I was dead to him."

Niki started to massage his shoulders, "Sheldon, I think he was still reacting to Merla's question."

His head came up off the desk and he attempted to give her an explanation, "No, it was more than that. In the past, Leonard has looked at me in frustration, annoyance, disbelief, kindness, anger, sadness, and happiness. But he has never before, no matter how badly I have treated him, looked at me as if he wished me dead."

Niki hugged him harder and softly whispered in his ear, "Sheldon, he does not wish you dead. He was disgusted by what Merla had said and wanted her to be gone. To get her gone, we had to leave, also. That is most likely why he wanted us to leave. And Sheldon?"

"What?"

She released him and stood back up, "Why would you think I believed her? Please give me an answer to that."

He sighed deeply, closed his eyes and admitted to her, "I didn't truly believe that. I was just very afraid you might believe it. That was quite stupid of me, I know."

Niki took a step back, "Wait…did I hear you call yourself stupid?"

He pretended to be looking for something on his desk, "Perhaps."

Niki knelt back down to get at Sheldon's level, "You are the one person whose self esteem I have never doubted. You can sometimes even come off as rather arrogant, no lie. Suddenly, you admit a thought of yours may have been stupid? Sheldon, are you all right?"

"I am now. I do believe my worries were caused by a brief episode of insanity. That witch brings out the worst in me."

Niki reached for his hand, "Sheldon, I will only tell you this once. I did not accept this engagement ring from you on a whim. I said 'yes' because I meant it. I never say things I don't mean. In fact, sometimes I can be so blunt I feel I should put on a muzzle. I'm sure others have felt that way as well. I do not for a second doubt your commitment to us. Please, do me the same favor. When you placed this ring on my finger I meant forever with all of my heart. Never forget that."

He sniffed and reached for a Kleenex to wipe his nose and eyes, "But Niki, I sometimes feel I don't show you often enough how much I care for you."

She shook her head and replied in a soft voice, "That's not true. You show me that every day."

He made an effort to explain his statement, "I am not talking about having sex with you; I am talking about showing you my true feelings. Sometimes I hide my feelings and the only way I express them is through sexual activity."

She rose and backed away from him and gently turned his head with her fingertips, so he could better see her, "Not so. You do so many loving things for me every day."

"Such as?"

She gave him a tender smirk and told him, "You hold me when I sleep. You smile at me in that very special way reserved only for me. You defend me and our relationship to your mother. You sometimes make me breakfast in bed. You kiss me on my nose all the time. You hold my hand when we walk together. You take me dancing when I need to unwind. You give me all the time I want with my friends. Oh, Sheldon, you do far more loving things for me than I ever do for you!"

"Not so, little lady." He began to smile again, "I have told you some of these things before, but they are worth repeating. You have made my friends your friends. You have befriended my mother. You defend me when others put me down. You teach me new things. You dance with me. You laugh with me. You come to me and hug me for no reason. You cook for me. You have opened your home for me to share with you. Niki, you love me and I don't know why. What I do know is that I never want to lose you."

She grinned back at him and rumpled his hair, "Nor I, you. Now, is that settled? Leonard and Penny were both worried about you. Maybe you should call Leonard's office and let him know you're okay."

He nodded, but quietly added, "I will most certainly do that, but first, I have something I want to settle with you."

"What would that be?"

He looked up at her with large, liquid, eyes, "We have no pet names for each other."

She didn't understand the significance of his words and replied, "And that's a problem?"

He blushed slightly and continued, "Isn't it? All our friends have pet names for each other."

"Well, we aren't really pet name people. But I'll tell you what, let's give ourselves pet names but never use them."

"All right, then. Your freckles have held me captive since the first time I saw them. One day, I just want to lie in bed and make an attempt to kiss every one of them." He took a finger and caressed her cheeks.

"We might be there awhile."

He smiled contentedly, "That's the idea. Anyway, Freckles is the pet name I will give you because I am enchanted by your freckles."

Her arms found their way around him once more, "That's so sweet! I like that. I have a name for you, too."

"And that would be?"

She nuzzled his neck, "You know how Penny calls you Sweetie? Well, I'll call you Schatzi. It's German for sweetie."

"I am aware of the translation of the word. It is a good word. I have no opposition to that name."

She looked straight into his eyes and warned him, "Now, remember, neither one of us should feel obligated to use these pet names often. Is that a feasible solution to that problem?"

He stood up, took her in his arms, and kissed her nose. "Quite feasible. And right now, could we just hold each other? No coitus in mind, just hold each other tight. We don't do that enough."

"No, we don't. Yes, hold me, Sheldon. For a good, long time."

That is the position Leonard and Penny found them in when they peeked inside their office to check on them. "They're good." Leonard turned around and informed Penny.

" _Very_ good." Penny replied after she'd taken a peek for herself.

Neither of them saw Sheldon notice them or look up to the ceiling and mouth, 'Thank You' to an unseen deity.

Sheldon unlocked the front door and they were finally home. He gazed at Niki as she put her bag and jacket in the closet and asked her, "What shall we do with the rest of our evening?"

Niki walked into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator. After taking a drink, she answered him, "Well, it's Thursday. We usually don't plan anything for Thursday. Monday is relaxed at home night with takeout. Tuesday is almost always dinner with Leonard and Penny. Wednesday you usually go to the comic book store and then go to play Halo at Raj's house, and Friday is when we have guys' and girls' nights out. Saturday night is the night our entire group gets together for dinner somewhere, and Sunday is always paintball, the movies, or the zoo. So I'm suggesting that Thursday nights be Sheldon and Niki night. We need more down time together where we are not with our friends or at work. How does that sound to you?"

He thought about it for a second and the replied, "That sounds like a very good idea. What do you have in mind?"

Niki walked back over to Sheldon, "I get to pick one thing I want to do for you and you get to pick one thing you want to do for me. Then, we do them."

He thought a moment and nodded, "Very well. Who starts with the first treat for their partner?"

Niki pointed to herself, "Me. I am going to make you dinner."

Sheldon gave her a quizzical look, "Niki, you often make me dinner."

She grinned like the cat that swallowed the canary, "Spaghetti with small hot dogs pieces cut up in it?"

"You know that's my favorite!"

She sat down on the couch and patted his spot in an invitation for him to join her there, "Of course. That's why I'm making it for you."

He began to warm to the idea and excitedly added as he sat down next to her, "And I'm going to fire up the Jacuzzi tub after dinner for us. I know you enjoy it when we sit in there and just talk."

"And after, we can put on a movie we both like and snuggle together and watch it."

He put his arm around her and pulled her close, "Which movie shall we watch?"

She counted off the movies on her fingers, "I'll give you three choices. Superman, the one with Christopher Reeve; the original Star Wars; or The Princess Bride.

His face went into shock mode, "The Princess Bride?"

"Bazinga! Didn't see that one coming did ya?"

He kissed her cheek, "Smart ass. How about we just spend extra time cuddling and talking and save the movie for next Thursday?"

She got up from the couch and headed for the kitchen, "I'm cool with that. Now let me get going on that spaghetti."

Friday night found Niki, Penny, Bernadette, Georgia, and Amanda seated around Penny's dining room table, plotting their strategy for the downfall of Merla Krane.

"She sounds horrible!" Georgia exclaimed after Penny and Niki had brought everyone up to date on the week's happenings.

"Absolutely evil!" Amanda chimed in.

"Or toxic, like Anthrax!" Bernie said, with an oddly excited tone in her voice.

Penny silenced them with a wave of her hand, "Okay, whatever. You guys, we've got to put our heads together and come up with a plan to put this bitch in her place, which is most likely way below the gutter."

Georgia asked, "Look, I don't know Sheldon well, but why would she say you two might have something going? He doesn't look like the type and everyone knows you adore Leonard."

Niki explained to her, "Just to hurt everyone in the room because she wasn't getting what she wanted. That's what she does."

Bernie muttered, "Like I said, Anthrax."

Amanda had a question she was dying to ask, so she looked over and asked Niki, "Why don't you guys just quit and move to your new place now?"

Niki quickly answered her, "Because then Cal Tech would own all the rights to our research we have been doing. We have to extricate ourselves from this situation very carefully. We want the rights to all the research _all of us_ have been doing to go with us to our new facility. Believe me, we've thought about just quitting a time or two, but we want the damn rights to that stuff. We want everyone's work to go with them when we leave. It's our efforts and brain that went into this, so we want to keep it all."

Georgia put her pizza down and said, "So you guys are stuck until October. That sucks. This girl is not going to stop until she gets what she wants."

Niki took a bite of her pizza and then asked, "Okay guys. How do Sheldon and I counter this? We've tried being nice, being stern, distracting her, nothing has worked. It won't be long before I go over to the biology department and grab a scalpel to carve the girl up."

Penny placed a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder, "Settle down, Nik. I've been thinking and I've come up with a plan that continues the one we started using this week. Now, with the latest developments I've tweaked it a bit. Girlfriend, it will depend on you going a bit out of your comfort zone, but I can definitely see it working."

Niki was worried and it showed on her face, "What is it? And why will it make me uncomfortable?"

Penny asked her, "Has Merla ever seen you two living your lives outside of work?"

Niki shook her head, "No, I don't think so."

Penny's eyes narrowed and she continued, "Okay, the girl knows the physicist Niki, but I think it's time you showed her your other side."

Niki almost choked on the tea she was drinking, "But that's pretty private and I would rather keep it that way."

It was now Penny's turn to shake her head, "That's part of your problem, Nik. You and Sheldon are both too comfortable hiding your private selves and that's allowing this witch to slowly kill your relationship and your research in the process. You both need to clear the air a bit. Niki, a lady can be a sexy woman as well as a brilliant scientist. No one knows that better than you. Let the girl see the sexy side of you. What's the worst that can happen? She accuses you of sleeping with someone? She's already done that to me and Sheldon. Let's fight back. We will be giving this bitch a taste of her own medicine. Now, I will need every one of you to be in on this and do their part. Are you with us, girls?"

"You bet we are." They all answered her. There was nothing more these women wanted than revenge for their two friends.

Penny needed to know something before their plan went any further, "Be honest with me, Nik, do you think Sheldon will go along with all of this?"

"To the letter, Penny. His motto now is 'whatever it takes to take this bitch down'."

"Okay, then. Here's the plan. It begins at the picnic that idiot Siebert has planned next weekend…"

The day of the picnic arrived clear and warm. Sheldon and Niki had only worked with Merla on Wednesday and Friday, she had been too busy with visiting relatives to come to their office on any of the other work days. Still, her bad attitude never slackened and she continued her insults to Niki and her open pursuit of Sheldon. On Wednesday, according to Penny's plan, Sheldon had sweetly asked Merla if she would care to accompany him and Niki to the Welcoming Picnic.

""Does she," Merla pointed to Niki, "have to come, too?"

"Well, yes. She, as do I, represents the physics department at this school, so her appearance would be expected. I do not usually attend these things, but Dr. Horner has persuaded me to make an appearance this year, and to bring you along as well."

Merla had grudgingly accepted his invitation that included Niki. So, on 10:00 a.m. on the assigned Saturday morning, Sheldon parked the car and the three of them emerged from it and headed for the picnic site. Sheldon was dressed in his usual attire, Merla had on skin tight jeans paired with a skimpy tank top emblazoned with the words Luscious Melons on the front, and Niki wore sweat pants and a plain t-shirt.

"Does she always have to dress so frumpy?" Merla asked Sheldon, a hint of annoyance in her voice.

Sheldon looked down at his intern and did he best to answer her question, "Dr. Horner considers this an occasion where prudence in her dress would best serve her needs. I happen to agree with her."

Merla commented smugly, "I'll never dress like that."

Sheldon gave a slight chuckle, "Wait until you are a bit older and maturity takes over. If the situation called for a more, shall we say, non-professional look, then Dr. Horner would most likely be dressed differently."

Niki added, "It's all about the time and place, Merla. Right now, I feel most comfortable with conservative dress."

"I'll bet you sleep in flannel pajamas," Merla muttered. Sheldon and Niki shared barely suppressed smiles. Niki most often slept in a sexy teddy or nude.

As they approached the picnic area, Niki spotted Penny, Bernadette, Amanda, and Georgia with their men in tow. She waved wildly to Penny who waved back excitedly. If today went the way they had all planned it, it would be extremely eventful for them, and unpleasant for Merla. Sheldon found his party a table under some trees and then left to join his friends.

Penny came over to their table, joined by the rest of the ladies. Niki introduced them all to Merla, "Bernie, Amanda, Georgia, this is Merla, our intern. You've already met Penny.

"That she has." Penny's voice dripped icicles.

Merla tried without success to smooth over the incident, "Hey, look. I'm sorry about that time in your husband's office. I was just joking, really."

Penny turned away from the girl and said, "Of course you were. Well, I'll tell you what, someday we'll see how well you take a joke. "

Merla rolled her eyes, "I can see why you're friends with Dr. Horner. Between the two of you there might be half a sense of humor."

Niki gave a half grin, "Maybe. Who knows? Hey, here comes Sheldon and the rest of the guys. I guess I'll see you all later. The guys will probably want you girls to sit with them."

Penny countered with, "Heck with that noise, girlfriend! We'll all just pull up tables next to yours."

"You guys are all really that tight?" Merla asked Penny.

"Pretty much. Don't you have any friends here? Or do you have any friends at all?"

Niki interceded, "Penny, be nice. I'm sure this young lady has friends she would rather spend time with than a bunch of old, cackling hens."

Merla looked around frantically, "You got that right. I see a couple of them right now. I'll talk to all of you later, maybe."

Penny turned to Niki, "We'll just sit here and bide our time until the music for the dancing starts. You know what you're going to do, don't you?"

Niki nodded, "Yeah. But let's check with the guys first."

Bernie gave an evil laugh and told her, "They all know their roles. We discussed it on the way over. If this works out the way we planned it, there'll be nothing left of that girl's ego but a skid mark."

Niki looked around at the crowd, "Well, we have an hour to kill. Instead of just sitting here, let's circulate, schmooze, and get something to eat. I'm starved."

Penny kidded her, "Sheldon kept you too busy for breakfast?

Niki laughed out loud, "No, Mary and Alfred dropped by to talk for a bit and before we knew it, it was time to leave." Niki gave her friends a bawdy wink, "There'll be time for that later."

Eventually, the food had been eaten and the friends all sat at tables close together under a row of olive trees. Niki appreciated the shade as the day was getting warmer and her sweat pants allowed no flow of air to her lower body. She knew before the day was out she would be able to shed the pants, but that moment couldn't come too soon for her comfort. She decided to pass the time by talking with Penny about her next play.

"So, The Glass Menagerie has closed. Do you have any new work lined up?"

Penny put down her can of soda and looked out over the crowd, "Yeah. I'm going to be playing Jocasta at the Mark Taper Forum."

Niki was suitably impressed, "Wow! That's hitting the big time. What does Leonard think of that?"

Penny turned towards her friend and asked, "What do you mean?"

Niki caught Sheldon's eye, gave him a quick wink and then answered Penny's question, "Do you think that character might stir up some mother issues for him?"

Penny's smile disappeared and her looked turned serious, "I never thought of that, Nik. Thanks. I might have to talk with him about that. "

Niki added, "Jocasta is sure different from Amanda Wingfield."

Penny's smile returned to her face, "That's what makes acting so much fun! There's always something or someone different you can put on and pretend to be for awhile. Face it; a physicist does the same thing just about every day for years."

"Not exactly, but I'm sure there's nowhere near as much variety as there is in acting. When does the play open?"

Penny laughed, "In about three months. We start rehearsals in three weeks. Oh, look, they're getting ready for the dancing to begin! I can't wait for this!"

Niki began to get nervous. To calm herself, she remembered Penny's words from the night before on the subject: _Nik, don't worry. Raj has got the dj in his back pocket. They're old friends. When enough time has passed, you and Sheldon will emerge from your cocoons and every friggin' person at this damn picnic will get an eyeful of the real Sheldon and Niki. Especially Ms. Krane. Now, we're going to save the real naughty stuff for last. So be prepared to stay as you are for a little while. Sheldon has even agreed to dance with the bitch, so all you have to do is come out as Sexy Niki when the time is right. Until then, just keep your clothes on and your dance style dialed down from an A plus to a C plus. Raj and Leonard have agreed to fill in as your dance partners as needed. You don't even look at Sheldon much until we're ready. Okay?_

Niki gave an audible sigh. She hated gatherings like this one and she wanted it to be over. The idea of cuddling with Sheldon in bed was very appealing to her right at the moment. Suddenly, a dance floor was cleared and the dj started to play some current dance hits. Niki almost caught herself yawning. Their favorite dance music would come up later.

Penny walked over to Sheldon and asked him, "This is going to be one of the biggest Bazingas of your life. Are you ready for that?"

Sheldon gave her an uncharacteristic wink, "I have no problem with this one, Penny. The girl has earned all of this and then some."

She grinned to herself and thought, _Penny, old girl, you've outdone yourself this time._

Finally, dance music that Niki enjoyed started to be played. True to the plan, she sat out the first few dances, even as Sheldon bit the bullet and danced with Merla a time or two. He also danced a dance each with Bernie and Georgia, so Niki wasn't put through constant torture.

Suddenly, Niki heard the opening notes of Prince's 1999 begin to play and true to their plan, Raj came over and asked her if she wanted to dance.

"Sure." She answered him and gave Penny a wry smile. She knew she would be acting on that dance floor as much as Penny ever did on the stage. She had to give the impression of being an average dancer at best and that was really going to be difficult for her. Dancing was an important part of her life and toning it down would not be easy. Still, she thought, maybe Raj was not a great dancer and she would just have to follow his lead.

She was wrong. Raj was a great dancer and it took every ounce of self control she had not to turn their dance into a contest. When he performed intricate steps, her body begged her to match them, but Penny's frown form the sidelines stopped her. It was hell to want so badly to really dance and have to just kind of follow Raj around like a lost puppy.

Merla grabbed onto Sheldon's arm, laughed and pointed at Niki, "She's not the world's greatest dancer, is she?"

Though they had danced together earlier, he rose to the bait and challenged her, "Are you any better?"

She pulled him out onto the dance floor, "There's only one way to find out, isn't there?"

When Merla and Sheldon joined the couples already on the dance floor, Niki wanted to claw the girl's eyes out, but settled on keeping her attention focused on Raj and pretending to have trouble following his steps. Mercifully, the song eventually ended and a song that could be a group dance came up, Wang Chung's Everybody Have Fun Tonight. This time, all the friends linked arms and began a happy line dance with simple steps that everyone could follow. Even Leonard, who really didn't care for dancing, was enjoying himself. Niki had so much fun dancing this dance with her allies that she actually threw her head back and laughed in delight. She still had to tone down her ability, but it was easier for her to keep it simple this time.

This dance finally ended and the dj announced he was taking a break. This was Niki and company's signal to excuse themselves and head toward a nearby restroom.

The Niki that emerged from the ladies' room bore scant resemblance to the Niki of earlier in the day. The plain t-shirt had been replaced with a sexy red halter top and the sweatpants had been discarded in favor of skintight black leggings. Ankle boots with two inch heels completed the outfit. It was her face; however, where the most change had taken place. Gone was her ponytail and in its places was shiny ash blonde hair that hung loose to her shoulders. Georgia had done her makeup and Niki's light eyes had been outlined in dark kohl and her lips had been painted a ruby red. The total effect was hip, edgy, and extremely sexy. Penny put a pair of dark sunglasses on her to complete the effect.

Per Penny's instructions, Niki waited behind some trees while Sheldon and Penny danced a very amusing Honey I'm Good, aimed at Merla and her outrageous suggestions regarding the nature of their friendship. Everyone in the crowd laughed at the antics of the two friends as they clowned around on the dance floor. After that dance, Sheldon made the excuse of needing to use the restroom once more and was gone for several minutes. Out of the corner of her eye, Penny saw him also return looking far different from when he had left. His usual t-shirts had been replaced with a black cotton dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up past his elbows and the front opened halfway down his chest. His hair was mussed and wild looking thanks to much hair gel and the skill of Bernadette, who had done her own hair for most of her pageants. His look was completed by a pair of form fitting black jeans worn low on his hips. A gasp came from the students who barely recognized 'that geeky Dr. Cooper' in the sexy man wearing the tight jeans.

Before Sheldon made his entrance, Penny told Merla, "Niki should be here any minute. I think Leonard wanted to dance with her."

Merla nudged one of her friends, "Wait until you see this one dance. It's rich. She can barely follow basic steps. It's a hoot. And her outfit! Just wait until you see it."

Penny grinned evilly and thought, _Yes, just wait until you see her, Miss Thang. The lady will definitely put you in your place. Ah, the music for the next dance is starting. Niki should make her entrance in 5…4…3…2…1._

Niki handed Penny her glasses as she passed and hit the dance floor at the same time as Sheldon. They winked and grinned at each other and began to dance to Shut Up and Dance by Walk the Moon, just as they had done many times before. This was one of their favorite songs to dance to and it showed. It was a seamless exhibition of synchronized dancing, full of twists, turns, lifts, and quick steps. Niki was in her element or 'in the Zone' as Sheldon would have put it. Merla's mouth dropped open. She couldn't believe the woman dancing was stodgy old Dr. Horner. This woman was vibrant, slinky, and very, very, sexy.

"This is the lady you said can't dance?" Merla's friend asked her in disbelief. "She could be on one of those dancing shows, along with her partner. Hey, wait; is that guy that weird Dr. Cooper? Wow! He sure looks different!"

Georgia looked at Penny and asked her, "Where did she learn to dance like that?

Penny explained, "Niki took up dancing with her late husband. She said it helped them have something positive to focus on together. Yeah, she's pretty good. Sheldon could always dance some, but Niki has taught him how to be great at it. Those two are something to watch when they get going."

Amanda added, "I'll say. I want her to teach me to move like that."

Merla just stared, not quite believing what she was seeing.

The song ended but Sheldon and Niki remained on the dance floor, waiting for the music of the next selection to begin. Just as planned, it was Little Red Corvette by Prince and by the end of this number; the couple were grinding on each other intensely, making the suggestive lyrics come to life.

Stuart asked Penny, "How do they get their hips to move like that?"

"Physics."

As the song ended, Sheldon and Niki walked by Penny and their friends and said just loud enough for Merla to hear, "We're going up to the office for a little bit. We've got something we want to work on."

"I'll bet you do." Bernie called after them.

Howard began to sing to no one in particular, "Do a little dance… Make a little love…"

Sheldon closed the door behind them, but purposefully did not lock it. He looked at Niki and grinned, "You were extremely provocative out there."

She ran her hand across his chest, "Which made you…?

His lips found her neck, "Excited, very excited." He backed her up to his desk and then carefully laid her down across it. "Between dances I was thinking of doing this," his kisses traveled up to her lips, "and this," they made their way back down to her breastbone, "and this, too." His hands found their way under her tank top. "Of course you realize this outfit is designed to inflame a man's lust."

She pulled him down on top of her, "That's why I wore it, Dr. Cooper. Lust away. You have my permission."

They became lost in the joy of exploring each other's bodies and their desire for each other rose to a fever pitch. But before any clothing could be removed by either of them, as expected, the door opened and Merla shouted, "Oh fuck!"

Sheldon stopped and sighed deeply, "Merla, as usual, you were quite close, but not exactly on the mark. If you had entered this office thirty seconds later, _then_ you would most likely have found us in flagrante delicto."

Merla stood rooted to the spot, dumbfounded, "Say what?"

Sheldon tried to explain it to the girl on her level, "We would have been actively engaged in intercourse."

She still failed to understand what he had said, "What?"

Niki stared at her over Sheldon's shoulder and decided to use a phrase the girl would understand, "You ignorant bitch, we would have been fucking!"

Hurt covered Merla's face, "How could you two do this?"

Sheldon brows furrowed and he answered her, "I very much doubt I am the proper person to explain the mechanics of coitus to you. Where were your parents when you were ten?"

Merla shook her head in confusion, "How can you screw an engaged woman?"

He wearily replied, "In the interest of your sexual edification, I'd be tempted to allow you to watch, but I do believe your uncle may have some misgivings regarding that endeavor."

The girl spat out angrily, "That's just where I'm going, you bastard! To tell my uncle all about this!"

"Well don't dally, get going. Niki and I would very much love to return to what we were doing before we were so rudely interrupted."

The door slammed behind Merla as she left and Sheldon and Niki gave each other a high five. Sheldon then walked over to the door and this time, locked it. He looked seductively at Niki, "Everything went perfectly, according to Penny's plan. Now," he returned to his lady and ran his hand under her top once more, "where were we, Freckles?"

 **What do you think Siebert will do when he hears this news and why don't Niki and Sheldon seemed concerned? The answers are coming soon.**


	40. Chapter 41

Chapter 40: Moral Turpitude

 **Niki and Sheldon are formally charged and get their day in court. Will they win?**

The evening of the day after the picnic, Sheldon and Niki were sitting in their living room watching a movie when the phone rang. Sheldon paused the television as Niki walked over and picked up the receiver.

 _Hello?_

 _Niki, how did the event go? Did everything go according to plan?_

 _Yes, Marcus, it did. Per your advice, we've given our laptops containing our research to Sheldon's mother for safe keeping in case the school comes after it. We did that before the picnic yesterday. Now, we're sitting here relaxing, waiting for the other shoe to drop._

 _When it does, keep cool. We've got it handled on this end. Now, when you get a response from Siebert, I want you each to send him an urgent email pleading for a chance to explain to him in person what Merla saw. The man seems to want you both gone, probably so he can turn your research over to another physicist, most likely one of his cronies. Hang tight. My guess is he won't want to hear an explanation from either of you and that works perfectly for us. He thinks he set you two up, but the exact opposite is actually happening. Relax, take a deep breath, and whatever you do, do not talk to the man or anyone in administration or any faculty member about this matter. Keep all correspondence with the school through email. If he should verbally contact you for any reason, insist that he talk to me, not either of you. Will you do that?_

 _Of course we will. What do you think his next move will be?_

 _He will put you both on administrative leave most likely. Accept that and wait for a court date. He will probably formally charge you with Moral Turpitude or something similar. Because this hurt his niece, I'm willing to bet that Siebert will want to ruin you both professionally. So this case, if it goes that far, will mostly likely be tried in joinder. Remember, this plays into our hands perfectly. Are we clear on all of this?_

 _Yes, very clear. When do you think we will hear from him?_

 _Soon, very soon. Possibly before tomorrow. Just stay calm and enjoy your free time. Maybe get to work on your new place._

 _Sounds good. If anything comes up, Marc, we'll call you._

 _Good. Talk to you later, Niki. And say 'hello' to Sheldon for me._

 _I will. Goodbye._

Sheldon looked over at Niki as she hung up the phone, "What did Marcus have to say?"

"He just said to hang tight and when Siebert makes his move, we should email him and beg him to let us explain what happened in person. Oh, Marc says 'hello', Sheldon."

"Marcus is a good man, I'm very happy he is on our side."

Niki nodded in agreement, "That he is and I am glad he works for us, also. Marc is smart, cagey, and he reads people better than anyone I've ever known except maybe Penny. He's not big on warm fuzzies, but at this point, he is our secret weapon. Siebert will have his comeuppance, all right."

Sheldon made a feeble attempt at a Mr. T impression, "I pity the fool."

Niki tried and failed to keep a straight face, "Yeah, something like that."

They finished watching the movie and were preparing dinner when a knock came on the door. Sheldon walked over to answer it and saw a young man standing there who asked, "Are you Sheldon Lee Cooper?"

"I am." He answered.

The man spied Niki coming out of the kitchen, "Are you Nikita Elyse Horner?"

She smiled and nodded, "Yes, how can I help you?"

He handed them both a stack of papers.

"You have now been properly served these papers. You have 30 days to respond before a default judgment will be entered against you. Good day."

Sheldon also smiled at him, "Good day to you, young man."

They both looked through the papers and saw, as Marcus had predicted, that they were being tried jointly for Crimes of Moral Turpitude. Both of them shrugged, and Niki called Markus, who told them he would prepare a 'not guilty' response in the morning. The trial date was set for the 15th of September, so they had about 5 weeks to wait.

About an hour later, a letter was pushed under the door informing them that they both had been placed on Administrative Leave until the day of the trial. Niki went straight to her home computer and shot off an email requesting an in-person audience with President Siebert for both her and Sheldon to address this issue and explain the events of the previous day. She soon heard back from him, _Dr. Horner, I have no interest in talking to either you or Dr. Cooper until the day of the trial. There is not much you can say, is there? You were caught in a compromising position with Dr. Cooper. My niece has also told me that you were engaged to be married while participating in this morally corrupt behavior. I doubt there can be any explanation either of you could offer me in person that would rectify this situation. I shall see you on the fifteenth of September._

 _Sincerely,_

 _J. Siebert_

Sheldon sent Siebert a similar message and was given the same response. He did not wish to talk to or see either of them until the day of the trial.

Niki read his response aloud and asked Sheldon, "Well, that's that. Now what can we do for the next 30 days or so?"

He merely grinned, came over to her and looked into her eyes, "Let's see, tomorrow morning we could lie in bed and I could kiss and count all of your freckles."

Niki placed both of her arms around his neck, "But, Dr. Cooper that might lead to morally corrupt behavior."

Sheldon whispered seductively into her ear, "I'm hoping very much that it will. Now, may I suggest we enjoy ourselves by relaxing in the Jacuzzi?"

Niki began to remove his t-shirt, "You do know how to turpitude your morals, Dr. Cooper."

Two days later, Marcus called Niki and informed her that he needed a declaration from each of them relating the events of the day of the picnic. The attorney felt compelled to ask her a few questions.

 _"Niki, when Merla walked into your office, was either of you in any state of undress?_

 _No. All of our clothes were still on our bodies. We were very careful about that._

 _What exactly were you doing at the time?_

 _Sheldon had me on top of his desk and he was kissing me._

 _Nothing more than that?_

 _No. We hadn't gotten that far yet. We also knew Merla would more than likely be joining us soon so we kept it decent._

 _But you were lying on his desk._

 _Well, yeah._

 _I hate to ask this, but were your legs in the air?_

 _No. Like I said, we hadn't let things progress to that point._

 _So, the girl saw no more action than if she had seen two people kissing on a blanket on the beach._

 _Most likely less. Remember, our backs were to her and we were_ _fully clothed._

 _Make sure you say that very clearly in your declarations, okay?_

 _Sure. Marc?_

 _Yes?_

 _What's the big deal here? So many people we know at Cal Tech have had a little fun with their significant other in their office. As long as it's not done during work hours, I don't see the harm._

 _Do you think you could get any of these people to testify to that?_

 _I don't know, but I think so. A few of them, anyway. It really is quite common. That's why we always knock before we enter someone's office when we're joining them for lunch. Wives visit their husbands for lunch all the time, and vice versa. Sometimes they end up getting lucky instead of lunch._

 _Now I have to ask you, Niki, have you and Sheldon ever made love_ in the office?

 _Yes. But only at the end of the day or during lunch._ _And it's not an everyday occurrence, believe me._

 _But you have engaged in sexual activity in the office._

 _Yes. Is that a crime?_

 _As long as it wasn't on company time and it wasn't with an undergrad student, it's really no one's business._ _You didn't invite the girl to your office, did you? You said you were expecting her._

 _No, we did nothing of the sort. We both knew her well enough to know she would show up eventually._

 _So this was planned? The events at the picnic._

 _Most of them, yeah._

 _Okay. So you were not planning on having Merla catch you in the actual act, so to speak._

 _Not at all. That would have been, to quote Siebert, 'morally corrupt'._

 _Okay. Write that and send it to me by fax or email, okay?_

 _Should we include that the whole thing was planned?_

 _Of course. That is the truth of the matter. Don't lie; just don't tell the entire truth. Don't tell them you guys are engaged. They should be able to figure that out on their own. We have more than enough witnesses to testify that the girl overstepped the boundaries far more than either you or Sheldon ever did. Most people will feel she had it coming. Your friend, Penny. She saw the girl in action and will testify?_

 _Penny's the one who came up with the plan. She loathes Merla. Her husband, Dr. Hofstadter, does as well. They have both promised us they will testify if needed._

 _I'll go over the witness list with you guys in a few days. For now, work on your declarations._

 _You'll have both of them asap._

 _Fine. Just give me a head's up before you send them._

 _Right. Will do. 'Bye, Marc._

 _Goodbye, Niki._

As Niki sat down to write her declaration, many thoughts were running through her head. It was almost as though all the ghosts from her past and all the joys of her present joined together as one voice as she wrote.

 _I have to fight this. I just have to. The last time someone challenged me in court was when Paul died and his family came after everything. I was so weak then I paid them all off just so we wouldn't go to court. If they tried to pull that same bullshit now they wouldn't have a chance of getting a dime. I'm stronger now; I have a lot of fight in me. Siebert reminds me so much of Paul's Uncle Len. That man did his best to try to destroy me, and he almost succeeded. That is NOT going to happen this time! Today's version of Niki Horner is far more mentally healthy, and far more dangerous if crossed. And Sheldon, how much fight does he have in him? I'm going to say quite a bit because he has gone along with everything we've planned without a qualm. He must have been very upset and really scared Leonard would stop being his friend. Like that would ever happen. Leonard and Penny are the kind of people who become your friends for life. Damn you, Merla! That girl better be careful. Between me, Penny, Leonard, Sheldon, and Marcus we are about to put her and that slimeball uncle of hers in a world of hurt. Now, to write about that day and the true happenings that occurred…_

Sheldon sat at the dining room table trying to will the words to come for his declaration. No matter how hard he tried, the words stayed locked in his mind. He had never had trouble with writing before, he produced scientific papers prodigiously. So the question remained, why were the words not flowing? He looked out the window next to the table and soon became lost in his thoughts.

 _Considering everything that has happened since the picnic, do I regret my actions of that day? No. Not at all. In fact, it felt extremely empowering to see the hurt on that girl's face. After seeing Leonard's pain, no amount of hurt I have or will inflict on this heinous wench will bother me in the least. And Niki. To accuse her being anything but an honorable woman is preposterous!. Is it a crime to engage in coitus with someone you love? If that is so, three quarters of the world would now be on trial. Merla never saw us doing anything but kissing, and that was only for a brief moment. What right did she consider she had to be able to barge into our office without warning? She possessed none, whatsoever. Her sense of entitlement is mind boggling, and I know a thing or two about having a sense of entitlement. Is my personal life anyone's business but my own? Say we had been making love, so what? It's not like Howard, Leonard, Raj, and a few other people I know at that cursed school haven't enjoyed a bit of 'afternoon delight' when their spouse or partner has visited them. Niki and I never let our sexual episodes interfere with our work, we are both adamant that work comes first. We only indulged on time that was not being paid for. Now I have a base for my declaration, I suppose I will begin to write down my version of the events of that day…_

The weeks passed fairly swiftly for Sheldon and Niki. They both enjoyed the time off and they used that time to buy some furniture for their new home. They hosted several dinner parties, visited the zoo, spent time with Mary and Alfred, and just took time to relax and enjoy their life.

One week before their court date, Marcus contacted them and went over their defensive strategies and witness list. Sheldon remained calm and almost detached from the entire situation. Niki, on the other hand, grew more nervous by the day. Penny, in an effort to help her stay calm and give her inspiration, downloaded Sara Bareilles' Brave onto Niki's MP3 player and advised her to listen to the lyrics whenever she became uncertain or afraid. This helped, somewhat, but not entirely. In reality, Niki was at the same time both angry and scared shitless. She knew that Siebert wanted them both gone and she also knew Merla's venom seemed to have no limits as to its mass. Still, she knew that they had Penny, Leonard, and so many other people on their side and this fact brought her a great deal of comfort.

The day of the trial arrived and Niki and Sheldon woke up earlier than they had to in order to get their thoughts in order before they left for the courthouse. Niki was nervous and shaking until Sheldon looked into her eyes and told her, "Don't be afraid. You are a strong woman and you have right on your side. You also have me, Marcus, Leonard, Penny, Howard, Bernadette, Raj, Amanda, Stuart, Georgia, my mother, and Alfred behind you. I'd say you've got all that you need to emerge victorious in this battle. We both do."

Niki melted into Sheldon's arms, "You always know just the right thing to say, don't you?"

He kissed the top of her head, "I'm not so sure of that, but this time the right words were so obvious they came quite easily to me. I dare say you have many more friends and people who love you than that wretched girl."

"Maybe that's her problem. Who knows? I just know that we are going into that courtroom and telling the truth and truth is a very powerful weapon."

He whispered sweetly in her ear, "Niki, it is the most powerful weapon in the universe."

She smiled up at him and teased, "More powerful than The Force?"

Sheldon hugged her tightly, "Yes, but perhaps not as powerful as love. And you have that in abundance."

As they approached the courthouse, Penny slipped this note to Niki:

Niki, always remember you are:

B - Brilliant

R - Radical

A - Awesome

V- Valuable and

E – Extraordinary

Tell the truth, girl. Don't let these bastards shut you up. P & L

Niki read the note and all of her fears vanished. She knew with good people like Penny and Leonard on their side, they had nothing to fear.

Sheldon and Niki met Marcus outside the courtroom where he briefly went over what the procedures would be. Niki knew them well, but Sheldon absorbed the new information with great interest.

"Now remember, they are going to grill you, and grill you hard. Just tell the truth. The only time you mention any evidence regarding your relationship is when they specifically ask for it. Until then, just answer the questions as honestly as you can. We have a rather long witness list, so I can't promise you this will be over in thirty minutes. We may actually have a continuance if this takes too long. I will do my best to keep my examinations as short as possible and use no more witnesses than are absolutely necessary. Are you guys ready?"

Sheldon and Niki both nodded and prepared to enter the courtroom. The first case was continued to a later date and as theirs was the second trial on the calendar, they didn't have long to wait.

The bailiff announced their case and both attorneys made their opening arguments to the jury. It was then that the real fun began and the examinations and cross examinations started.

The prosecution called their first witness, Merla Krane. She was duly sworn in and the university's Attorney, Sam Schrieber began his questioning of the girl.

SS: On the day of August 1st, where were you?

MK: I was at the Welcoming Picnic at Cal Tech.

SS: Could you tell the court why you were there?

MK: Dr. Cooper invited me to attend with him.

SS. And how did Dr. Cooper act on this date?

MK: He was fine at first. We danced together a couple of times and he was real nice to me.

SS. What happened later in the day?

MK: Well, Dr. Horner began to dance with him and they got a little racy, I guess you'd say.

SS. Was their dance sexually explicit?"

MK: Huh?

SS: Was their dance sexy in nature?

MK: Oh yeah.

SS: How many dances did they dance?

MK: Two.

SS: And were both of these dances sexier than you thought were proper for employees of the college?

MK: For sure.

SS: What happened after the dances?

MK: They said they were going back to their office to work on something.

SS: Did you follow them?

MK: Not at first, but then I guess I got curious and I did.

SS: And what did you see when you entered their office?

MK: He was lying on her and they were both on top of his desk.

SS: Now, why did you think this was improper? They were not doing this in front of anyone.

MK: Because Dr. Horner is an engaged woman and there she was, almost fucking Dr. Cooper.

SS: Did they apologize to you for this?

MK: No. They both kind of got mad at me for interrupting them.

SS: No more questions, Your Honor. Your Witness, Counsel.

Markus Benson began to cross examine her.

MB: You stated you attended the Welcoming Picnic at Cal Tech. Is this correct?

MK: Yes, that's right.

MB: Who invited you?

MK: Dr. Cooper.

MB: Can you point out Dr. Cooper to us? Is he in this courtroom?

MK: (she pointed to Sheldon) There he is, that's him.

MB: Very good. Now, can you point out Dr. Horner to us? Is she in the courtroom today?

MK: Yeah, that's her right there. (she pointed to Niki)

MB: Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but do Dr. Cooper and Dr. Horner work together?

MK: Uh huh.

MB: What was your assignment with Drs. Cooper and Horner?

MK: I was an unpaid intern in their office.

MB: Now, I've looked this up and these intern positions with two physicists of their caliber are usually awarded to the top students of the discipline. Am I right?

MK: I guess so, I mean yes.

MB: Good. Now I'm not a physicist, I'm an attorney. So could you help me understand some physics?

MK: I'll try. I mean, sure.

MB: You know Einstein's theory of Relativity, right?

MK: Uh, yeah.

MB: Okay. Could you tell me what it is?

MK: Now?

MB: If you don't mind.

MK: I think it's E= something or other.

MB. Well, do you know who Johannes Kepler was?

MK: Some German guy who was a physicist?

MB: Close enough. Can you tell me how many laws of Planetary Motion he published?

MK: Uh…no.

MB: Okay, what are Newton's Three Laws of Motion and how are they related to Kepler's Laws?

MK: Uh…I don't think I've learned that yet.

MB: I see. Now you said Dr. Cooper invited you to the picnic. Is that correct?

MK: Yes.

MB: But wasn't it really Dr. Horner who insisted that Dr. Cooper invite you to the picnic?

MK: Yeah, but I don't see how…

MB: (interrupting her) That will be all for now, Ms. Krane. Thank you.

MK: But I've got more to say!

The judge ordered Merla back to her seat and the prosecution called their next witness.

Schrieber called Niki to the stand. She was sworn in and the questioning began.

SS: You are Dr. Nikita Horner. Is that correct?

NH: Yes, I am.

SS: And did you attend the Welcoming Picnic with Dr. Cooper and Ms. Krane?

NH: Yes.

SS: How were you dressed?

NH: In sweat pants and a t-shirt.

SS: Were you dressed that way the entire time?

NH: No.

SS: What was your attire later in the day?

NH: A red halter top and black leggings.

SS: How tight were the leggings?

NH: They were leggings; by their very nature they are tight. They are the best type of pants to dance in.

SS: Just stick to the point of the question, Dr. Horner.

NH: Very well.

SS: Now, later in the day, did you dance with Dr. Cooper?

NH: Yes.

SS: Would you say you danced in a sexy manner with Dr. Cooper?

NY: No.

SS: Why?

NH: I can't answer that one with a short answer, sir.

SS: Answer as you see fit.

NH: Thank you. If you don't dance, you would consider them sexy. But I did not.

SS: You did not think someone would find them sexually provocative?

NH: Not if you were a dancer, no.

SS: So you did not think you danced in a sexy manner?

NH: Not at all, no.

SS: I would like to enter Exhibit I A for viewing. This is a short clip of your second dance with Dr. Cooper.

The courtroom viewed the dance, with Niki dancing in a very sexy looking manner with Sheldon, who was dancing provocatively as well.

SS: You still maintain that dance was not sexual.

NH: Yes.

SS: I have no further questions. Your witness Mr. Benson.

MB: Thank you. Now, Dr. Horner, you say you changed your outfit later in the day.

NH: Yes.

MB: Could you tell the court why?

NH: I had two reasons, sir.

MB: Could you tell the court what they were?

NH: One, the outfit I was wearing in the morning made me uncomfortably hot, so I changed into something cooler. Two, the dances I was planning to dance with Dr. Cooper required more comfortable clothing that wasn't as warm. I also needed the freedom of arm movement the halter top provided.

MB: So you planned these dances in advance?

NH: Of course.

MB: Why?

NH: I wanted to make sure I got to dance those particular dances with Dr. Cooper.

MB: Do you enjoy dancing with Dr. Cooper?

NH: Yes, very much. He's a very good dancer.

MB: You say you don't consider those dances sexy. Why not? They sure looked sexy to me.

NH: Mr. Benson, may I ask you a question?

MB: Yes, you may.

NH: Have you ever danced a dance with that degree of difficulty?

MB: What do you mean, exactly?

NH: Those two dances both contained extremely difficult choreography. Could you dance like that?

MB: No, I couldn't.

NH: When you are dancing at that level, the steps are very fast, very intricate, and very difficult. If either of our minds had been on sex, well, it wouldn't have come off as sexy at all. It would have been a hot mess of tangled legs, tripping, and I may very well have kicked him in the head or in a more delicate place on a lift. We were both concentrating entirely on our body movements and placement, not about anything else.

MB: No more questions, Your Honor.

The prosecution then called Sheldon to the stand. He was sworn in and his grilling began.

SS: Dr. Cooper, how long have you known Dr. Horner?

SC: Eight months. Almost to the day.

SS: How long have you been dancing with Dr. Horner?

SC: Close to seven months.

SS: Are you sexually active with Dr. Horner?

SC: Yes.

SS: How long have you been having sex with her?

SC: A bit more than six months.

SS: So the dancing came first?

SC: Yes.

SS: Were those two dances you did with Dr. Horner difficult?

SC: Quite difficult.

SS: So you were not having sexual thoughts during the dance.

SC: Good lord, no! I could have been injured if I had done that.

SS: Do you ever have sexual thoughts about Dr. Horner?

SC: Quite often.

SS: Do you know that she is an engaged woman?

SC: I am well aware of that fact.

SS: Yet you still have sexual relations with her?

SC: Of course! Why wouldn't I?

SS: You see nothing wrong with having sex with an engaged woman who is your research partner?

SC: No.

"No further questions, Your Honor." Schrieber turned to Marcus, "Your witness."

Marcus had his turn questioning Sheldon.

MB: Dr. Cooper, how often would you say you have sexual activity with Dr. Horner?

SC: Often.

MB: What would say is often?

SC: At least one time per day.

MB: You find Dr. Horner attractive?

SC: Very much so.

MB: Are you aware she is an engaged woman?

SC: Of course I am.

MB: Yet you still have sex with her.

SC: Yes.

MB: And you don't feel there is anything wrong with that?

SC: Not at all. I consider it fairly normal behavior.

MB: Back to those dances, you said they were difficult. Is that correct?

SC: Yes, I did.

MB: Can you explain that further for the court.

SC: The two dances we danced that day both had very intricate footwork and they were both very fast. I also lifted Dr. Horner in both dances. You just can't go out on the dance floor and do either of them off the top of your head.

MB: So they were choreographed.

SC: For the most part, yes.

MB: By you and Dr. Horner?

SC: Yes.

MB: Let's see if I understood what you just said. So unless you were a trained dancer, you couldn't have executed the moves in both those dances.

SC: Yes, or were at least familiar and competent with all the moves.

MB: No further questions, Your Honor.

Schrieber had no desire to put Merla back on the stand, he realized she was not a sympathetic witness and he also knew Benson would tear her to shreds. Instead, he called Niki back to the stand.

SS: Do you and Dr. Cooper have a sexual relationship with each other?

NH: Yes.

SS: And how long has the sexual side of your relationship been going on?

NH: I would say a little over six months.

SS: You are an engaged woman?

NH: Yes.

SS: How long have you been engaged?

NH: Close to four months.

SS: Yet you sleep with Dr. Cooper?

NH: Yes.

SS: Could you tell the court why you do this?

NH: Uh, it feels good? Dr. Cooper is a quite gifted lover. I also love him very much.

SS: Dr. Horner, do you love your fiancé?

NH: Yes, a great deal.

SS: Yet you don't consider having sexual relations with Dr. Cooper wrong?

NH: No, not at all.

"No further questions, Your Honor. Your witness, Mr. Benson."

Marcus prepared to go in for the kill with Niki, but first, he wanted to question one more witness.

He dismissed Niki from the stand and instead called Adrian Prentiss to the stand. The oath was administered and Marcus began to question him.

MB: What is your name?

AP: Adrian Prentiss

MB: And you are a dancer?

AP: Yes.

MB: Competitive?

AP: Yes.

MB: Have you won any major competitions?

AP: Yes.

MB: Could you tell us what they were, please.

AP: I was the 4 time United States Ballroom Champion with my partner and we won the World Ballroom Championship twice.

MB: So you would call yourself an expert on dancing?

AP: Yes, I suppose so.

MB: You watched the clip of the dances Drs. Cooper and Horner did at the Welcoming Picnic.

AP: Yes, you sent them both to me.

MB: Now, in your opinion, what would the degree of difficulty be for those dances?

AP: For the average dancer, or for a world class competitor?

MB: Let's start with the average dancer.

AP: The average dancer could not do either of those dances; the skill level would be too high for them.

MB: On a 1- 10 scale?

AP: Off the scale difficult.

MB: Okay, let's say for a good dancer, 1-10?

AP: About an 9, 9.4, or thereabouts.

MB: Now, for a competitive dancer like yourself? Again, 1-10.

AP: About an 8 or 8.5 for the first one and I'd give the second one a solid 9.

MB: Now, would you be having sexual thoughts while dancing either of those dances?

AP: Definitely not.

MB: Why not?

AP: With dances of that degree of difficulty, if you don't keep you mind on what you are doing you could severely injure yourself. It may look sexy, but dancing on that level is an athletic activity that requires intense concentration. All the same, if you're good, both of those dances would also be a whole lot of fun and could very well look to be of a sexual nature, which would also require the ability to confidently sell the dance. The good doctors could choreograph a dance for me anytime.

MB: No more questions, Your Witness, counselor.

SS: No further questions.

Marcus then called Niki back to the stand for a final set of questions.

MB: Dr. Horner, you said you did not consider having sexual relations with Dr. Cooper wrong. Is that correct?

NH: That is correct.

MB: Did you ever attempt to explain to President Siebert why you were found on Dr. Cooper's desk kissing him?

NH: Yes. Both Sheldon and I asked for an audience with President Siebert to explain the events of that day to him.

MB: What was his response?

NH: I believe you have a copy of his response to both of us.

MB: Yes, but could you read his response aloud to the court and the jury?

NH: All right. (she began to read aloud) , _Dr. Horner, I have no interest in talking to either you or Dr. Cooper until the day of the trial. There is not much you can say, is there? You were caught in a compromising position with Dr. Cooper. My niece has also told me that you were engaged to be married while participating in this morally corrupt behavior. I doubt there can be any explanation either of you could give me in person that would rectify this situation. I shall see you on the fifteenth of September._

 _Sincerely,_

 _J. Siebert_

NH: Thank you. Now, did you feel that what you wanted to tell him would have negated the need for this trial and the court's time?

NH: Yes sir.

MB: Why didn't you just email him your explanation?

NH: I wanted our private life be kept entirely private. Email is not always private. Plus, after his refusal to see us, you advised me to make all correspondence between us go through you. He could have talked to you about it, but I suppose he didn't do that, did he?

MB: No, he did not. Now, do you believe that this entire trial could have been avoided if President Siebert had talked to you both about that day?

NH: Yes.

MB: Dr. Horner, would you kindly tell the court the reason you, as an engaged woman, felt it was perfectly okay to kiss Dr. Cooper on top of his desk and to have a sexual relationship with him.

NH: The reason is simple. Dr. Cooper _is_ my fiancé. He's the man that I'm engaged to. I was merely kissing my fiancé when Merla Krane walked in on us. I do not think it is either improper or immoral to kiss, or make love to, the man you are going to marry. Dancing with him is quite okay, also.

"No further questions. Your witness."

Schrieber and Siebert had both gone white and the attorney managed to croak, "No further questions, Your Honor."

Niki, Sheldon, and Marcus whispered together and then Marcus addressed the judge, "Your Honor, I request a sidebar in your chambers for all the parties."

The judge nodded, "Request granted. Court is recessed for thirty minutes. I want all of the parties involved in this case to meet me in my chambers in ten minutes."

The attorneys and their respective clients were all sitting in the judge's chambers fifteen minutes later. Neither side looked at the other or interacted in any way. Niki and Sheldon conversed quietly with Marcus while Siebert and Merla sat stone faced with their attorney.

The judge entered and in a far more casual voice than he used in the courtroom asked Marcus, "All right, Mr. Benson, why are we here? We have a jury waiting for us out there."

Marcus looked over at Siebert, completely ignoring Schrieber, for whom he had lost all respect. This whole issue had been way too easy to win. A competent attorney would have done their homework and asked more probing questions of both Niki and Sheldon. He cleared his throat and began to speak, "As you know, both of my clients have been on Administrative Leave for the last five weeks. Now, they haven't lost any pay, but their research has been stalled and their reputations have been a bit tarnished. Wrongly, I might add."

The judge nodded his head, "I agree, go on."

"Now, mental pain and anguish for five weeks is worth some money, I would suppose."

Siebert interrupted him, "If you think you're going to shake the school down for money…"

"Not at all. I was just thinking how much a Defamation of Character suit would cost the school. My clients' professional reputations have also been damaged. I'm sure other schools have heard of your accusations against my clients. Rumors have a tendency to fly in educational settings, don't they?"

"They may return to their jobs immediately, I have no problem with that. All rumors should be quashed with that move."

Niki found her voice and replied in anger; her eyes were molten silver, "Oh Hell No! Do you think that either of us would want to work under a man who has treated us so badly? It wasn't just the legal accusations, you also sent us an intern who doesn't know the first thing about physics. That is false representation right there. Then, she goes and makes wildly inappropriate comments to several employees of the school. Here we were, two highly respected physicists forced to cart around this idiot!" she pointed at Merla. The girl said nothing, for once.

Schrieber asked the opposing counsel, "What do you want us to do?"

Marcus spoke up, "Release my clients from their contracts with Cal Tech and give them the rights to all of their research, as well as the rights to the research of Drs. Hofstadter and Koothrappali and Mr. Howard Wolowitz, as they wish to leave with them. Your niece has managed to anger and offend all of these men with her lunacy."

Siebert addressed Marcus, Sheldon and Niki, "That would be impossible. You may all leave with no penalty if you so wish, but your research belongs to the school."

Niki's look turned evil, "A school which will make the front pages of national newspapers and online news services for false accusations thrown at two of its most respected researchers as well as for fraud. Your niece is a graduate student in physics my ass!"

Siebert blanched, "You wouldn't do that. Who would believe you?"

Sheldon spoke up, "Sir, I have five reporters waiting outside for us as we speak and I'm quite sure I will have many more once this story breaks. Now, what would you have me say to them, No Comment, or something else?"

The judge looked at Siebert and his attorney, "Well, what do you say to that, Mr. Schrieber?"

Siebert sighed and said to his attorney, "Draw up the appropriate papers, Sam. We can't have this on the front page of anywhere. The school would be put on probation and we would lose tons of alumni support and money and quite possibly our accreditation. You are all released from your contracts and you may take your research with you."

Niki gave the best smirk of her life, "I thought you'd see things our way. Now, Marcus, are we through here? I'd really like to go home now."

Sheldon put his arm around her and said, "As would I."

The judge made notes for his judgment and smiled at Niki and Sheldon. "Dr. Cooper, Dr. Horner, you have my permission to leave. The same goes for Mr. Siebert and his niece. You two," he addressed the attorneys, "may sit here and hash out the details."

Marcus nodded and addressed the opposing counsel, "Sam, send the papers to me for my review and signature when you are finished with them. Say, within a week?"

Schrieber nodded, "Fine, Marc. Within a week they will be delivered to your office."

"Do you wish me to file them?"

"Sure, you can do that if you don't mind."

The judge told them, "I must return to the courtroom, I have a jury to dismiss. Good day, everyone."

Marcus stood up and motioned his clients to do so as well, "Good day, gentlemen. We will now take our leave. I will ensure neither of my clients says a negative word to the press. You have my word on that."

As Niki and Sheldon left the courthouse, they found Penny, Leonard, and the rest of their friends waiting for them. Penny walked over to Niki and told her, "Girlfriend, you and Sheldon are the two bravest people I know. You took on one of the top schools in the country and won!"

Niki and Sheldon looked over at Marcus, who was down the block getting rid of the press, "Well, we had a little help." Niki told her.

"And an entire army of friends." Sheldon added as he took in the smiling faces of their friends. Sheldon suddenly took Niki and his arms and kissed her deeply. Penny beamed at her two friends and Leonard's smile lit up his entire face. _Sheldon had stood up for his lady and himself in a court of law and won, without angering the judge! And he was full on kissing Niki in public! Who would have believed he could or would do that a year ago?_

Sheldon finally released Niki and told everyone, "Let's all meet over at our place for lunch. I'll order us some Thai."

Leonard smiled again; _On the other hand, some things never changed._

 **The good guys won and I'm sure Merla Krane will never be heard from again. Now, our couple and their friends get to prepare for the next chapter in their lives. What do you think that will hold?**


	41. Chapter 42

Chapter 41: Uncle Sheldon

 **The Wolowitz's need a favor**.

The month until their new research site was ready for them to occupy was a busy one for all of the friends. Penny went into rehearsals for her new play and Leonard was helping Sheldon and Niki get the utilities turned on in Altadena and also helped oversee the arrival of the new furniture and research equipment for the facility. Raj helped Niki pick out an appropriate telescope for the cupola and was there when it was delivered and installed, much to his delight. Howard was sent on various day jobs by NASA until his lab in Altadena was ready for use. NASA was actually excited that Howard was leaving Cal Tech because relations between the two institutions had been strained for some time. NASA respected the name of Sheldon Cooper and the group backing him, so the transition for Howard was, for the most part, seamless.

Niki and Sheldon took control of the back house, picking out new furnishings where needed and making decisions on what they wanted to bring over from their apartment. In the end, they decided to bring their bedroom suite and living room furniture because they went well in the new home's décor and also because Sheldon was extremely attached to the pieces on which he and Niki had made love. Niki thought this was very romantic and sentimental from a man who many deemed devoid of feelings, so she agreed that the pieces would come with them. They also secured the services of a gardener and a pool man, as well as house cleaning for both buildings. Penny insisted she wanted to clean her own home. However, Sheldon reminded her that while her housekeeping had been much improved since she married Leonard, she would be working very long hours with this play and Leonard would often be working late as well. So, she relented and helped Niki pick a cleaning service for all the living and working areas. The couple then arranged a meeting with the property management company and secured an easy transfer of the name on their apartment lease from Niki to Alfred and Mary.

When most of these preparations had been completed, Sheldon and Niki took an evening off just for themselves. They went to their favorite Italian restaurant and enjoyed a leisurely meal and then headed home. They were relaxing in bed, Niki's head on Sheldon's chest, just savoring the moment, when the phone rang. Niki answered it and heard Bernadette on the line.

 _Niki?_

 _Yeah, what's up?_

 _I hate to bother you this late, but are you guys busy tomorrow?_

 _No, we decided to just stay home and relax. Why?_

 _Do you think you could watch Kelly for a few hours? Her school is having a student free day tomorrow; I guess the teachers are going to some seminar or something, so Kelly has no school tomorrow. I can't watch her, I have to work and Howard is doing something for NASA up at Mt. Wilson. My parents are out of town this week, so I couldn't ask them. Could you help us out? We'd owe you one. Everyone else we've called is busy or says they're busy, anyhow._

 _How many hours? I mean, Kelly has never met me and I don't think Sheldon has ever actually had a conversation with her. Will she be okay with us watching her?_

 _I sure hope so, but I've got no choice. It will only be about 6 hours. Look, Sheldon is not my first choice for a sitter, but you will probably do fine. Please, Niki?_

 _I guess we could. Let me ask Sheldon. Just a minute._

Niki put Bernie on hold and turned to Sheldon, "Howard and Bernadette need a favor."

He looked at Niki closely, sensing something ominous was coming, "What would they be needing from us?

Niki took a deep breath and told him, "They need someone to watch Kelly tomorrow. Everyone else is busy."

Sheldon sighed and reminded her, "Niki, I don't do well with children and you know that."

Niki began to bargain with him, "I know, but I'll do most of it. You won't have to deal with her much, I promise. I know! We could take her to the zoo. We haven't been in a couple of weeks."

Sheldon's attitude completely reversed, "The zoo? Tell Bernadette we will do it, but as you promised, you will do much of the child care."

Niki smiled at his excitement, "Sure, no problem." She went back to the phone and resumed talking to her friend.

 _Sheldon says it's okay, so we'll do it. When do you want her picked up?_

 _Say about 10? Howie needs to be up at Mt. Wilson by noon. Between him and Sheldon, I don't know who will be the more nervous._

 _Tell Howard not to worry. We'll take good care of Kelly, okay?_

 _Sure. And Niki?_

 _Yeah?_

 _Thanks a bunch. I'll make sure this won't happen again._

 _Don't worry about it, Bernie. Tell Howard we'll be glad to do it._

 _Okay. 'Night, Niki._

 _Goodnight, Bernie._

Niki looked at Sheldon, "Well, we know what we are doing tomorrow, don't we?"

Sheldon sat up in the bed and gave Niki a worried look, "I do hope the child is not too annoying. I have no patience for that sort of thing. Have you ever watched children?"

Niki smiled and nodded, "Yeah, both of my siblings are quite a bit older than me and I was called on often for babysitting duty. My brother has two daughters and my sister has a son, so I'm pretty much used to children. My brother's girls are grown now, but at Kelly's age they usually loved anything to do with either princesses or animals. So we should be okay with the zoo."

Sheldon still looked a bit concerned, "I daresay I know nothing about princesses, but perhaps I could talk with the child about animals."

She teased him, "Like koalas or monkeys?"

"Now that's an idea!" He leaned over to kiss Niki. "And here's another one," he began to kiss her more deeply and soon, Kelly, the zoo, and everything else was pretty much forgotten by both of them.

Niki and Sheldon reached the Wolowitz home at precisely 9:45. Howard nervously introduced the couple to his daughter and gave them explicit instructions regarding her care.

"No junk food. Not too much sun. Make sure she gets plenty of water to drink, not soda and don't let her use a Red Vine for a straw. Is that understood, Sheldon?"

Sheldon looked at his friend with annoyance written all over his face, "Oh dear lord, Wolowitz, you would think we had plans to deliberately poison the child. We promise to return her to you in much the same shape as she was when remanded into our care."

Niki looked down at the small, blonde, girl and smiled. "Are you ready to go have some fun at the zoo, Kelly?"

The little girl gave her a broad smile, "Oh, yes. I am quite looking forward to it. Goodbye, Daddy. I'll be fine. The zoo is a comparatively safe place, so try not to worry to any great degree."

Niki stared open-mouthed at the mature language coming out of such a young girl. Sheldon just grinned and told her, "That was nicely put, little lady. Shall we proceed to our destination? The zoo is one of my favorite haunts. Niki and I try to visit there at least once or twice per month.

Kelly studied him carefully, "That's very interesting. I don't get to go there that often, but I wouldn't dislike the idea."

They made sure Kelly was securely positioned on her booster seat in the back seat before Niki started the car and they were off to their destination.

Kelly stated soberly, "I see you own an Audi, Aunt Niki. I like that. German engineering is quite excellent."

Sheldon was taken aback and asked her, "Why did you call her Aunt Niki? She is neither related to you by blood nor marriage."

Kelly explained in a logical manner, "My mommy and daddy have me address all of their friends in that manner. She says that all of you are quite close."

Sheldon told her, "I suppose we are, but I believe the Aunt and Uncle titles should wait for a bit with Niki and me."

Niki looked over at Sheldon and shook her head, "Oh, I have no problem with her calling me Aunt. I am an aunt and I used to babysit my nieces and my nephew quite often when they were younger. I'm rather used to the handle of Aunt Niki."

Sheldon held his ground, "I am an uncle, also, but I am not quite as comfortable with the idea of Kelly calling me Uncle. At least not yet."

Kelly tapped him on the shoulder from the back seat, "That's okay. Daddy says you can be a little 'uptight' until you really know someone."

"He does, does he? What does he say regarding Niki?"

The child giggled and said, "Oh, he calls her a hoot. He says it never fails to amaze him that you two are together. "

"Why on earth would he say that?" Sheldon asked her petulantly.

"He says Aunt Niki is funny, friendly, and loves to try new things. He says you have no sense of humor, hate change, and can hurt people's feelings unintentionally."

Niki gave the child a quick glance in the rear view mirror as she drove, "He's right, Kelly. Unlike Sheldon, when I hurt someone's feelings, it's always intentional. But Sheldon and I have much in common, more than your father realizes."

"Like what?"

Niki began to list their similarities for the girl, "We both love science, especially physics and astronomy, going to the zoo, dancing, paintball, rollerblading, and Thai food. We are both, like your parents, very intelligent, and Sheldon is the most fun person to be around that I know. I always enjoy spending time with him very much. I would say we are both pretty fun people."

Kelly suddenly asked them, "Are you guys in love?"

Sheldon nodded and looked to the back seat, "Of course. We are to be married in a few short months."

The girl continued with her line of thought, "I haven't seen you kiss her."

Sheldon was having a hard time keeping a straight face, "There is more to love, young lady, than kissing. Besides, Niki and I have been known to kiss each other. Your mother and father have seen us kiss many times."

"That's good to know. My daddy says you used to be a little repressed emotionally."

Niki laughed so hard at that she almost lost control of the car, "I do believe 'used to be' is the operative phraseology here.

"Niki is correct. I am now quite open with my emotions."

The child looked serious for a moment and said, "That is reassuring. I was a bit concerned about spending the day with a person Daddy calls 'an anal retentive robot'."

Once again, Niki laughter compelled her to work hard to keep the car straight, "Trust me, Kelly. Sheldon is very human and very warm and giving. He and your father just tease each other that way. What does your mother say about him?"

Kelly recited her mother's words, "She says Sheldon is a little strange, but she likes him. She likes both of you, actually. That's why she asked you if you could watch me today." She added, "Do either of you have children?"

Niki explained, "No, we don't. But we both have nieces and nephews. So we should do okay with watching you today."

"Do either of you want children?"

Niki answered her quickly, "We have never planned on having any, but things could change."

Kelly nodded and told them, "My daddy says I was totally unexpected, but I'm the best surprise he's ever had."

Sheldon looked at the child warmly, "Coming from a man who has been to space, I would say you are quite loved."

"I take it as that. It's very comforting."

They finally arrived at the zoo. Niki parked the car and they all headed for the entrance. There was little conversation as they made their way from the parking lot to the admissions gate. Each person was quiet and lost in thought.

 _How did I let Niki talk me into spending the day with a child? We could have been home, watching TV, making love, or seeing a movie. However, Howard's daughter does seem to be intelligent and not the least bit annoying. Let's hope she keeps up those traits while actually in the zoo itself. Why does she have to be holding my hand? She seems far too intelligent to wander off and both Niki and I are tall enough to be easily spotted in a crowd. Oh well, I did promise Howard we would look after her and perhaps holding hands is part of that process. Oh good, we are at the entrance. I can't wait to see the koalas and I know Niki loves to view the tigers. I wonder what animals the girl enjoys seeing the most. We shall soon find out, I suppose._

 _Awww, she's holding our hands! That is so sweet! I can see why Howard is so crazy about his daughter. She is very polite and well mannered. Inquisitive, also. I'd love to be her teacher. It was students like Kelly that made me love teaching. Sometimes I miss teaching so very much, but maybe I will get the chance to go back to it in the future. Perhaps I can teach this girl something about science, but I get the feeling she already knows quite a bit about quite a lot of things. It would be heaven to have a daughter like this. I'd better stop before I start crying and ruin everyone's day._

 _Why were Mommy and Daddy so worried about me spending the day with Aunt Niki and Uncle Sheldon? They both seem highly intelligent and quite nicely mannered. They haven't talked down to me once, like many adults do. That is very refreshing. Daddy says Sheldon is one of his oldest friends, but they sometimes don't get along. That's okay. Mommy and Daddy don't always get along, but I know they love each other very much. Perhaps the same is true among adult friends. Oh good, we are at the entrance! I can't wait to see all of the animals. These two don't seem the type to get tired of me asking a lot of questions like Aunt Penny can sometimes. I love Aunt Penny, but sometimes her lack of a higher IQ makes our communication difficult._

They finally entered the zoo and began to walk towards the children's zoo, which thrilled Kelly when she got to pet some baby goats and view some baby otters that were being bottle fed in the nursery. "Do you guys know that there are thirteen different species of otter?"

Niki replied, "I didn't know that."

"I did." Sheldon told her smugly. "Did you know, Kelly, that the otter has the thickest fur found on any mammal?"

"Yes, I did. And their fur is also water repellent. Were you guys aware of the fact that a group of otters is called a bevy or a romp?"

"Now that fact, I knew." Niki responded, amazed that this youngster knew so much about otters and that both she and Sheldon were having so much fun with her.

They then moved on to the next window where some baby orangutans were playing together.

Kelly's face lit up and she laughed loudly at their antics, "This question is for Aunt Niki. Do you know where orangutans live?"

Niki grinned down at her, "They live in Asia, silly. Except when they're living in a zoo. Even I knew that."

Kelly looked up at Sheldon and challenged him, "What countries in Asia do they live in?"

Sheldon failed to keep a wide grin from appearing on his face, "Okay Miss Smarty Pants. I've got that one. They currently are found in the wild only in the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra."

"And the orangutans of each country are classified as a different species. Did you know that, Mr. Sheldon?"

He nodded and added, "I knew that, and the fact that the Bornean orangs are divided into three subdivisions. They are a most interesting primate." The young girl's knowledge both pleased and astounded them both.

Eventually the trio made their way out to the main zoo. Sheldon and Niki were walking along at a sedate pace with little Kelly Wolowitz holding both of their hands and skipping in between them.

They approached the alligator enclosure first and Kelly broke her hold on their hands are raced over to see the large reptiles. "Look!" She shouted excitedly, "Alligatoridae mississippiensis!"

Sheldon was quite impressed, "Yes, you are correct, Kelly. Those are American Alligators."

She looked up at him and smiled, "Do you know which state has the largest alligator population?"

Sheldon thought for a moment before he answered her, "I do believe that would be either Florida or Louisiana. I haven't kept up with the latest population counts."

The girl squealed, "You're right! It's Louisiana. You're pretty smart, Mr. Sheldon."

"Well thank you. You are a very intelligent young lady yourself."

Kelly responded much like a younger version of Sheldon Cooper, "I should be. My IQ is 178. What's yours?"

Sheldon informed her with just a touch of smug, "Mine has been measured at 187."

"What about you, Aunt Niki?"

Niki smiled down at the child and replied, "Mine is not quite as high as both of yours, but close. Mine is about 174." She was really becoming tired of being requested to state her IQ.

Kelly looked at both of them like they were rock stars, "Are you guys both Mensa members?"

Niki shook her head in denial, "Uh, no. We're not."

The girl was shocked, "YOU"RE NOT?"

Niki explained, "No, I was never interested in joining Mensa. I knew I was intelligent. I didn't need a membership in some sort of organization designed for smart folk to use as a bragging tool to tell me that."

Sheldon continued Niki's thought, "Mensa is for those who wish to pay good money to find out if they're smart enough to join that particular little club. I know my intelligence and that knowledge has always been free for me to access."

Niki kneeled down and got on Kelly's level, "Why would I need to be a Mensa member? I'm a respected physicist with a world renowned partner. I have love, laughter, and I have a passion for what I do. I am very much content with my life without needing to join some brainiac society."

Sheldon agreed with her, "Being told you're smart is nothing, Kelly. It is what you do with it that defines you as 'successful'. Talk is cheap, actions are priceless."

The child seemed to understand and asked them, "So you admire my daddy's work?"

Sheldon wasn't sure how to respond, so he asked her, "Why would you ask that?"

"His work involves actions, doesn't it?"

Niki looked kindly at the child, "You're so right, Kelly. If it weren't for the engineers of this world, our theories would never be worth anything to anyone. It takes people like your father to make our work interesting to the average person. We all owe your father and people like him a debt of gratitude."

Sheldon wasn't completely buying it, "True to a point, Niki, but where would Howard be without our theories?"

She threw a cynical smirk his way, "He'd be out building something practical somewhere else. Sheldon, the world will always need engineers. Physicists? Maybe not." The three of them moved on to the gorilla enclosure where Kelly, once again, proved that she knew a lot about animals. In fact, she and Sheldon got in some fairly deep conversations at just about every different exhibit. Niki was close to feeling like a fifth wheel, but she wasn't really bothered by that. If the truth were known, she was getting a big kick out of seeing Sheldon Cooper, Sc.D., Ph.D., being charmed and engaged by someone nine-years-old.

When lunch time came, Niki offered to go get them all food while Sheldon and Kelly continued discussing the merits of keeping wild animals wild in their native habitats or protecting their numbers in zoos or wild animal parks and game reserves. Kelly was actually making some very salient points and Sheldon was enthralled.

After Niki had left to get the food, Sheldon asked the girl during a lull in their discussion, "Are you eager to go back to school tomorrow?"

Her face turned sad, "Not really, Mr. Sheldon."

He looked shocked and asked her, "Why on earth not?"

Kelly looked down at the table and said, "Can I ask you a question?"

Sheldon used his kindest voice as he answered her, "Of course. What about? Elephants? Koalas? Or perhaps tigers? Niki loves tigers!"

Kelly continued looking down at the table, "No, it's about school. Mr. Sheldon, did you like school when you were a kid?"

"Of course I…no, I did not." Sheldon realized the young lady was trying to tell him something about school he knew only too well, "Tell me something, do the other kids tease you for being extremely intelligent?"

She nodded, a tear started to run down her cheek, "Yes. Sometimes."

Sheldon caught the tear with his finger and wiped it away, "Children can be cruel, especially when you're different from them. I'm sure your father went through his share of teasing. I did, also."

Kelly nodded, "He did, but he doesn't like to talk about it and it hurts him when I tell him it happened to me. So I don't tell him."

Sheldon felt something he had never imagined he would experience; his heart was breaking over a child's sadness. He looked Kelly in the eye and told her, "When you have a day when the other children have been cruel to you, I want you to call me or Aunt Niki, do you hear me? We will always be free to talk to you. Maybe, if your parents are willing, sometimes we can have you come over to our house to work on your homework."

"What if you're in the middle of some important research?"

Sheldon responded in a voice that allowed no uncertainty on the part of either of them, 'I said we would be free to talk with you and I meant it. Do we have a deal?"

The child looked up at him and began to smile, "We have a deal. You and Aunt Niki will be my friends?"

Sheldon nodded his head, "That's correct. Remember, just call us. Alright?"

Kelly answered him in a voice so soft he had trouble hearing it, "Okay. Sometimes it's hard to be a kid."

Again, his heart broke, "I know that only too well. Kelly?"

"What Mr. Sheldon?"

He gently turned her head towards his, "It gets better when you're older. It truly does. Look at me. I've got quite a few friends I really care about and I've have a great job doing what I love. Plus, I have Niki, who loves me just the way I am. And I've just made a new friend named Kelly, who is the smartest, nicest, and best little girl I know."

The girl grinned happily up at him, "And I have two new friends named Aunt Niki and Mr. Sheldon. Two of the nicest adults I know."

Sheldon pretended to take offense, "Excuse me? That's Uncle Sheldon to you, young lady. And don't you forget it."

They both heard a "Hey, you guys!" as Niki returned with three cheeseburgers, per Sheldon's request, and three lemonades, which Sheldon instructed the child to drink through a Red Vine.

Niki frowned at him, "Sheldon, Howard said no Red Vines, remember?"

Sheldon patted Niki on the arm to placate her momentarily and asked Kelly, "I'm having trouble understanding why your father doesn't allow you to drink your lemonade through a Red Vine? I know he said not to do that, but why? "

The girl looked up at him and replied in an earnest voice, "Because he always has us use Twizzlers."

Sheldon and Niki both looked over at the girl with wide smiles, "Well," said Sheldon, "this will be our secret. Okay?"

Kelly nodded, bit into her cheeseburger, and then took a sip of her lemonade through the forbidden Red Vine.

After they had finished eating their lunch, Niki suggested she and Kelly go through the aviary. Seeing Sheldon's panicked face, she assured him his presence would not be required there. They made a deal with him where he would meet them at the exit when they were finished.

Entering the enclosure, Niki and Kelly were delighted by all the different varieties of birds they found there. They saw many colorful tropical birds, including an Ibis and several Flamingos. The two kept turning around as their eyes would soon spy another colorful species of bird flying above and about them. For Niki, this was almost as good as the tiger exhibit and Kelly eyes shone brightly as she squeezed Niki's hand in excitement and pointed out to her all the different types of birds she spotted.

As they exited the aviary, Sheldon was there to meet both of them with a smile and a hug. "Did you ladies enjoy yourselves?"

"Yes we did, Uncle Sheldon. What are we going to see next?"

He took Kelly's hand and told her, "I was thinking that we could head over to the koala exhibit. I love to watch the koalas." And so it went. They visited exhibit after exhibit and Kelly never failed to charm both of the physicists at every stop.

By the end of their day at the zoo, they had seen elephants, koalas, tigers, all the monkey species, lions, bears, sea lions, wild antelope, anteaters, wild pigs, and several types of eagles. They were all a bit tired by the time they reached the zoo's exit, but little Kelly seemed to be having great difficulty keeping up with the two, long-striding, adults. Sheldon noticed this, gave the stuffed koala and encyclopedia of endangered animals he was holding to Niki, and kneeled down next to the girl and asked her, "Are your legs getting tired, Kelly?"

"Yes, Uncle Sheldon, they are. I'm not as tall or long legged as you and Aunt Niki."

Sheldon smiled at her and gave her a hug, "Problem solved. Why don't you hop on for a piggy back ride? I have heard a rumor that they are most enjoyable."

The child gladly climbed up on Sheldon's back and wrapped her arms and legs around him. They then set off for the car with Kelly giggling, Sheldon beaming, and Niki holding back her tears. Kelly was once again secured in the back seat with her souvenirs and the trio set off for home. Once on their way, Niki texted Howard that they had left the zoo and were on their way back. She then reached for Sheldon's free hand and squeezed it. "Thank you for a wonderful day. And thank you also for driving home. I do hope the traffic won't be too bad."

The traffic was surprisingly light for that time of day and they arrived at the Wolowitz home shortly after 5:30. Niki opened the back door of the car and released Kelly from her booster seat. She ran towards the house crying "Daddy!" as soon as she spied Howard in the doorway.

Sheldon followed her and joked with Howard, "See? Niki and I managed to bring her back in roughly the same condition as when she left you. Not mint in box, but close enough."

Howard greeted his daughter with, "Did you have a good time, Honey?"

Kelly blurted out, "Oh, it was fabulous, Daddy! I had so much fun with Aunt Niki and Uncle Sheldon. May I go with them again sometime?"

"We'll see. Sheldon, Niki, thanks for taking care of Kelly today. You both were real life savers."

Sheldon handed Howard the gifts they had purchased for Kelly, cleared his throat and spoke to Howard, "Wolowitz, I have something to tell you regarding parenting."

 _Oh, God. Here we go._ "What is it, Sheldon?" Howard asked him with a resigned sigh.

Sheldon looked Howard in the eye and told him in a very earnest voice, "You are doing an extraordinarily good job raising this young lady. She is polite, intelligent, and well mannered. She is the only child I have ever met with whom I have enjoyed spending an entire day. If I ever have the chance to become a parent, I will come to you and Bernadette for advice before anyone else."

Howard's mouth dropped open in surprise, "Thank you, Sheldon. That meant a lot. Just… thank you." _Sometimes this guy really surprises me._ _Sheldon Cooper said he would come to me for advice. Now I've heard everything._ "Kelly, would you like to spend more time with Uncle Sheldon and Aunt Niki?"

"Oh, Daddy, yes! Uncle Sheldon is very intelligent and talks to me like an adult, not a child. Aunt Niki is fun. She is intelligent, also, and she makes me laugh quite a bit. I do like them, Daddy."

Howard gave the souvenirs back to Kelly, picked his daughter up, and held her in his arms, "Okay, then. Can we call you guys if we need a sitter?"

Sheldon looked straight at his friend and replied, "You had better, Howard. Niki and I are counting on that."

Niki grinned at Kelly and said, "Howard, I think we both fell in love with your daughter. She is an exceptional young lady. I was wondering, would it be okay with you and Bernie if she came over our house once in awhile to do some homework or just to visit? Maybe once we're in Altadena she could come over for a swim?"

Howard thought a bit, "Sure, we can do that. Just as long as it doesn't interfere with school or anything else, heck, why not?"

Sheldon smiled and nodded to his friend, "Thank you, Howard. I appreciate that. Now, Kelly, listen to your mother and father and remember what I told you about school."

The girl nodded and replied in her little voice, "I will, Uncle Sheldon. And thanks for a wonderful day!"

When they reached home, Sheldon sat down on the couch and told Niki, "You know, I wouldn't mind us having a child if they were as adorable and bright as Kelly Wolowitz.

Niki looked as though someone had shot her in the heart and she raced from the living room into the bedroom, slamming the door behind her.

Sheldon walked over to the bedroom door and listened. He could hear Niki crying loudly and seeming to be in distress. He was at a loss as to what to do, so he called Leonard, his go-to guy in situations such as these.

 _Hello?_

 _Leonard, it's me, Sheldon._

 _I know who it is. Why are you calling me?_

 _I have a situation going on here and I need your sage advice on women._

 _What's up? Is something wrong with Niki?_

 _I don't really know. It would seem so._

 _Okay, explain exactly what is happening._

 _Leonard, Niki has just locked herself in the bedroom and she seems to be crying quite hard and loudly._

 _Did you guys have a fight?_

 _Niki and I never fight._

 _Okay, did you have a disagreement?_

 _No. Not at all._

 _I got nothing for you then, buddy. Let me tell you this, they do that sometimes. It's one of those things we men will never understand, we just have to put up with it. Just like they tolerate us scratching ourselves in public._

 _Leonard, I never scratch myself in public!_

 _I was just using that as an example. I'm sure Niki puts up with all kinds of annoyances with you._

 _I can't think of any, Leonard._

 _Think harder, Sheldon. Look, let me get Penny. Maybe she can translate this mess for you._

 _All right._

 _Sheldon?_

 _Penny?_

 _What's the 911?_

 _Niki has locked herself in the bedroom and is crying._

 _You weren't fighting?_

 _Not at all. We had gotten back from the zoo and were both in quite good spirits. Suddenly, she ran from the couch and sequestered herself in the bedroom._

 _What did you say just before she bolted? This is important, Sheldon._

 _I made the remark that I wouldn't mind us having a child if they were as charming as Kelly Wolowitz._

 _Did she look angry, hurt, or sad?_

 _All three, I believe._

 _Sheldon, get in there and talk to her NOW. Break the door down if you have to. My guess is it has something to do with having children and she's been keeping something from you. Find out what that is. PRONTO._

 _All right, I'll do that. Thank you, Penny._

 _You're welcome, Sweetie._

Sheldon went over to the bedroom door and knocked softly, _knock, knock, knock,_ "Niki?" _knock, knock, knock,_ "Niki?" _knock, knock, knock,_ "Niki?"

He heard her muffled voice through the door, "Go away, Sheldon."

He stood his ground outside the door, "No. I won't. You are crying and I am going to find out why."

"It's nothing you did."

He rattled the doorknob gently, "I don't care. You are crying. Let me in."

She slowly opened the door and he could see her eyes were quite swollen from weeping.

Sheldon entered the bedroom and sat on the bed. "Now, what brought all this on? You have never acted in such a fashion before tonight."

Niki turned away from him, "Just forget it, okay? I'm fine now."

He put an arm around her and kissed the top of her head, "No, I won't forget it. Please, tell me what is wrong."

She began to cry once more, "It was just you talking about us having children…"

Sheldon pulled her even closer to him, "Do you not want children?"

She pressed her face against his chest and sobbed, "It's not that. Sheldon…I can't have any children!"

He patted her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her, "Do you want to talk about it?"

Niki disengaged herself from his arms and began to talk, "When I was married to Paul, I got pregnant twice. Each time I had an ectopic pregnancy. My fallopian tubes were pretty badly scarred and my doctor at the time warned me not to get pregnant again. I could die the next time. Sheldon, sweetheart, I would love nothing more than for us to have a child together…but I can't do that! To be safe, I had an IUD implanted and I have had one ever since. Sheldon, I can most likely get pregnant without any problems, but I could also die from the complications of another ectopic pregnancy."

He looked into her eyes and asked her in a soft, kind, voice, "Why haven't you told me this before?"

She shook her head sadly, "I never thought you wanted children, so I never mentioned it."

Sheldon looked past her and focused on a spot on the wall, "I see. You do have a valid point there. But that was many years ago, am I correct?"

Niki nodded, "Yes, close to ten."

He turned so they were facing each other and told her, "Perhaps there have been medical advances that could help you."

"Maybe."

His face suddenly brightened and he said to her, "Niki, wait, I have an idea."

She looked at him, her eyes still threatening to overflow with tears, "What is it? Do you think we should adopt? That takes a great deal of time."

He shook his head and grabbed her gently by the shoulders, "No, not yet, anyway. Here is what I was thinking, we could try IVF. We can have some of your eggs harvested, fertilized by my sperm, and implanted back into your body in their proper location. It is a quite common procedure nowadays."

Her face lit up and she hugged him fiercely, "You would do that for us to have a child?"

He smiled and spoke into her hair, "Niki, you would do all the hard work. All I would have to do is ejaculate into a container. Let's investigate this. Today showed me that life might be very pleasant with a child of our own. I can now fully understand why Howard is such a devoted father to Kelly."

"Our child may not be anything like Kelly, Sheldon."

Now it was Sheldon's turn to have tears in his eyes, "No matter. The child will be the best part of both of us and also bring something wonderful all of its own. How could I not value that child as a precious being? I love you Niki and I want to have a child with you. I truly do."

She buried her head into his neck and hugged him tightly, "I love you to the furthest stars and back, Sheldon Cooper! Let's look into that once we get settled in our new place. I just know you will make a marvelous father!"

He gave a wry grin as Niki finally pulled away from him, "I will most likely not be perfect, but I will deeply love that child."

"That's the most important part, Sheldon."

After they each had a shower and had eaten, they went into the bedroom to watch television there. Once on the bed, Sheldon gently kissed Niki and pulled her close. "What do you say after we are settled in our new home we make an appointment to have your IUD removed and then start to work planning Baby Cooper?"

"I can agree to that plan." She said and began kissing him from the top of his head and worked her way down.

"Niki, doing that is not going to get you pregnant."

She briefly stopped and looked up at him, "Well, I wasn't planning on that tonight, anyway. I'm more in the mood for this, if you don't mind." Hearing no objections, she continued her mouth's southern journey until she reached her destination and worked her own particular magic on Sheldon until he gave a satisfied groan.

He recovered and grinned at her mischievously, "Now, Little Lady, it is your turn."

 **Well, this was a surprising turn of events. What's next for these two? Read on**.


	42. Next Chapter

Chapter 42: Sheldon on the Loose

 **It seems our lad has taken too many Dramamine. What effect to you think this will have on him?**

It was a Monday night soon after their zoo excursion with Kelly, and Sheldon and Niki were relaxing contentedly on their couch, pondering what to make for dinner. The shrill ringing of the phone on the coffee table disturbed the serenity of the evening and Niki was quick to answer it.

 _Hello?_

 _Hey, girl, it's Penny._

 _What's up girlfriend?_

 _Look, I just got a very nice bonus for signing on to this play, it seems the producers had their hearts set on little ol' me playing the part, so they showed their appreciation with money._

 _Money always works for me._

 _Me, too. Anyway, you and Sheldon treated us with that wonderful 4_ _th_ _of July on the Queen Mary, so Leonard suggested to me that we return the favor. What are you guys doing Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday of this week?_

 _Packing. We're moving soon, remember?_

 _What if I told you that I hired a moving service to pack both of our households up for us? You guys could just take the personal stuff, like your clothes, computers, jewelry, and things like that. The movers would handle all the rest. Sound good?_

 _Okay, that sounds good to me, but I'll have to ask Sheldon, okay?_

 _Sure._

Niki covered the receiver with her hand and reiterated Penny's offer to him.

Sheldon thought for a moment then replied, "I have no problem with that, as long you and I handle our personal belongings. Tell Penny, thank you, and that we accept their kind offer."

Niki nodded and returned to her phone call.

 _Penny?_

 _Yeah?_

 _Sheldon said fine and thank you. Now, why do we have to free those days on our calendar?_

 _You will need those days free because Leonard and I are inviting you two to join us on a cruise down to Ensenada. Our treat._

Penny smiled as she heard Niki squealing with delight over the phone.

 _Are you okay, Nik?_

 _I'm fine. Just a little surprised is all. Do you have those days off?_

 _Yeah, costume fittings for a bunch of other people those days, they don't need me. Did Sheldon hear you scream?_

 _No, he stepped out to get the mail. Oh, he's back now. Wait a few and I'll call you back._

 _If I don't call you first. I'll be here waiting, so don't waste any time calling me back._

 _I won't. 'Bye._

Niki looked over at Sheldon, who was busy sorting the mail, and asked him, "Sheldon, can I ask you something?"

He looked up from his sorting and answered her, "Niki, you know you can ask me anything." He threw the mail on the counter. "This is mostly junk mail, anyway."

She came up behind him and gave him a hug, "Do you think we could make ourselves free for three days later this week?"

He smiled, turned around and took her in his arms, "What did your devious little brain have in mind?"

She shook her head and looked into his eyes, "This one isn't from my 'devious little brain'; it is a joint effort by Leonard and Penny."

Sheldon kept her in his close embrace and asked her, "What do they have in mind? They don't want us to accompany them to one of those couples' retreats they always go on, do they? That's a bit too hippy dippy for me."

"No, this is something much better. Sheldon, do you think you're ready to try a short cruise?"

He kissed her nose, shrugged, and returned to the mail, "I suppose. I could always bring some seasickness med…what?"

Niki gave a soft chuckle at his response and continued, "Leonard and Penny are treating themselves and us to a three-day-cruise to Ensenada."

He walked back over to her and guided her to the couch. When they were seated he took her hand in his and said, "That sounds like it might be a bit challenging for me, but I do see the good intent on their part. Let me guess, I suppose Penny is waiting by the phone with bated breath for our answer?"

"You guessed correctly."

Sheldon's smile was wide and genuine, "Tell her we gladly accept. I do remember you telling me something along the lines of you get incredibly amorous on a ship. Am I correct?"

"Ding! Ding! Ding! You remembered correctly." Niki began to nuzzle his ear.

Sheldon sighed with pleasure as her hands started to explore his body and replied, "I will begin packing immediately. That is after we…"

Niki sat back and gave him an affectionate grin, "That will have to wait until I've talked to Penny. Don't worry, I'll make it quick."

Early Wednesday morning found both couples presenting their tickets and preparing to board the ship for their cruise to Mexico. Penny and Niki both looked excited, Leonard looked anxious, and Sheldon looked slightly queasy.

Sheldon looked around him and then up at the ship, "Good lord, I hope the seas are calm. I don't need to spend the entire trip losing my lunch. That is, if I'm even able to eat my lunch."

Penny smiled at her friend and tried to reassure him, "Relax, Sheldon, ships nowadays are so smooth you will feel like you're sitting in your own living room."

"My living room is not moving through the open ocean, Penny."

Niki reminded him, "Sheldon, we brought your sea sickness meds, so just relax. I'm willing to bet you won't even need them."

"Exactly how much money would you be willing to put down on that bet, Niki?"

Niki rolled her eyes and then noticed Leonard's pensive expression and went over to him and asked, "What's the matter Leonard? Is something bothering you?"

Leonard pulled her aside and told her, "I'm just worried about Sheldon's stomach."

Niki cocked her head and asked, "What about it?"

Leonard looked around furtively to make sure Sheldon could not hear them, "Have you ever been around him when he's sick?"

Niki smiled at the worried look on Leonard's face and replied, "No, but I've heard all the stories. Don't worry about it, Leonard."

"How can I not worry about it? Our entire trip could be ruined."

She pulled him even further away from Sheldon and attempted to alleviate his concerns, "Relax. Nothing's going to be ruined. If he gets seasick he'll be down in our stateroom the entire trip. Neither you nor Penny will have to deal with him. He'll be my problem. If he doesn't get sick, well, my libido gets a big boost whenever I'm on a cruise. You won't see him much then, either. We'll most likely just come up for air a few times per day. Really, Leonard, you have nothing to worry about."

Leonard's face brightened, ""Oh yeah, I forgot. He'll be your problem now. Okay. I'm good."

Once on the ship, both couples found their staterooms, unpacked their belongings, and met on the starboard deck. Leonard and Penny were standing at the rail, drinking in the ocean air. Niki grabbed Sheldon's hand and pulled him along behind her as they went to join their friends.

Penny greeted them as they came over, "Hey guys, are you excited? We're almost ready to set sail, or whatever a ship this size does."

Sheldon gazed out over the ocean and started to look unwell. "I do believe I will go lie down, I don't trust my stomach up here."

This time, it was Niki who acted as the font of information, "Actually, Sheldon, motion studies have shown that you are less likely to experience sea sickness if you stay up here. Going below deck where there is a lack of fresh air can exacerbate a queasy stomach. Besides, there will be very little motion until we have left the harbor. You just have to avoid looking at the horizon, if that sort of thing bothers your stomach. If you stay up here awhile, we could go below decks to our cabin later and explore my increasing 'urge to merge'."

"Very well. But I am holding you to that 'urge to merge' business."

The ship began to move and Niki guided Sheldon to a couple of deck chairs and began to engage him in conversation, hoping this would get him mind off of the ship's motion.

Niki began with a question, "When we move to Altadena, who gets which office?

Sheldon looked over at her and replied, "I do believe you and I should have the two offices with adjoining doors, that way we can visit each other as necessary throughout the day."

Niki nodded, "Good call. But which two rooms are adjoining?"

He looked out over the harbor as he answered her, "The middle two. We can put Koothrappali in the end room on the right. I do believe he would prefer the one nearest the pull down stairway that leads to the cupola and his prized telescope. Leonard can have the office on the left."

She pretended to slap him on the arm, "Hey! I will be using that telescope, too." A dreamy look came over her face, "I can get lost looking through a telescope for hours."

Sheldon traced a line along her jaw, "What if I get lonely in the night?"

Niki gave him a playful wink, "Then we put a sleeper sofa up there for just such occasions."

He kissed her and said, "You think of everything, Dr. Horner."

"That's why you love me."

Sheldon looked back out over the railing and told her, "I can think of many more reasons, but before I name some of them, I must inform you that we are out of the harbor and into the open ocean."

Niki reached over and grabbed his hand, "Okay, what would you like to do now?"

He grinned back at her, no trace of seasickness was at all apparent, "We could stay up here and visit with the Hofstadters for awhile and then go to our stateroom and explore that super sized libido of yours."

Niki got up from her chair and took his hand and pulled him to his feet, "All right. Let's go over a talk for awhile with Leonard and Penny."

They both strolled over to where Leonard and Penny were sitting on deck chairs of their own and began a lighthearted conversation with them.

Niki made small talk with her friend by asking, "Penny, what do you want to do in Ensenada?"

Penny's face glowed with excitement, "How about that all time favorite activity of women? Shopping!"

Sheldon addressed his friend, concern in his voice, "Leonard, do not let her have your credit card. I have seen firsthand how much damage Niki can do with hers."

Niki defended their plans, "Hey, we see it this way, we're aiding the economy."

Leonard exclaimed, "Of Mexico? You're right Sheldon; my credit cards are staying in my wallet."

This time it was Penny that threw a smirk at the men, "That's okay guys, we have our own. Right Nik?"

Niki nodded enthusiastically, "Yes, and mine can't wait to be freed and go to work purchasing items I both want and need."

"Such as?" Leonard asked her, even though he knew he would regret it.

Penny gave her husband the list, ignoring the fear on his face, "Purses, boots, jewelry, and leather jackets. And maybe, if you boys are good, we'll buy something special for you two, also."

Sheldon looked over at his male counterpart, "Definitely keep your credit card close to your heart, Leonard."

"I hear ya, buddy. Well, Penny and I are ready to go to our room and get ready for lunch. So, we'll see you two later, okay?"

Niki teased him, "Sure. We may make it for lunch and we might not."

Leonard put his hand up and said, "I don't want to hear about it."

Sheldon took Niki's hand and they headed for the elevator, "Don't worry, Leonard. You will most likely see very little of us until we get to Ensenada. Niki and I have our own plans."

"Like I said, I don't want to hear it."

Niki turned back to throw out a mischievous, "Jealous?"

Leonard returned her barb, "Of what? Penny and I have a very satisfactory love life of our own."

Penny was getting impatient and wanted to go to their room, "I don't want to cut this exciting conversation short, but Leonard, let's head down to our room and get ready for lunch, shall we?"

Sheldon took Niki's hand and began to herd her towards the elevator, "Very well. Good day, Penny. Good day, Leonard."

Penny shouted and waved at their backs, "'Bye, you guys!"

Once in their room, it didn't take either Niki or Sheldon long to get "in the mood".

Sheldon walked over to Niki, embraced her and then lifted her up and placed her gently on the bed. "I've been waiting for the chance to get you alone all morning." He confessed to her.

Niki traced hearts on his chest through his shirt and suggested, "Don't you think we need to have a little less clothing on our bodies?"

His kisses followed the curve of her jaw and down the side of her neck, "Absolutely. I was about to suggest the same thing. Great minds do think alike, don't they?"

Soon, clothes were removed, kisses turned to touches, touches turned to caresses, caresses led to insane desire for both of the lovers and what followed was a sensual, intense, coupling that ended with both desires quenched and their thoughts then turning to food. They were far hungrier than they had expected to be and that led them to shower and prepare for lunch in the dining room.

A pleasant lunch ensued. They had an enjoyable visit with the Hofstadters, good food, and soon returned to their room for Round Two.

Niki applied fresh perfume, lit a candle she had brought along and played Sexual Healing by the Marvin Gaye on her phone to set the proper mood. This time they engaged in slow, romantic, emotion-filled love making that allowed both of them to express their feelings for each other. This episode was far less frantic and needy than the first of that day and the two savored each other's bodies as if gazing at a beautiful work of art or tasting a fine wine.

At the same time, a few doors down, Leonard and Penny were engaged in the same activity, but Marvin Gaye's Let's Get It On was their mood music of choice. Afterwards, Leonard said to his wife, "Sheldon thinks he and Niki have the best love life, but they ain't got nothin' on us."

Penny giggled, "We taught him everything he knows. Remember how I had to coach him before his first time with Amy? And all the questions he asked you during his marriage? I must say, the man learned quickly and thoroughly."

Leonard smiled at his wife and drew her close, "But he's still not as good as the King of Foreplay, yours truly."

Penny looked at him in alarm, "Leonard, I most definitely don't want to comparison shop." Both of them laughed so hard at that their stomachs hurt for quite a while afterwards.

Back in the room of Niki and Sheldon, the television was on and Sheldon was entertaining himself by watching Batman Returns on HBO. He sighed in contentment and reached for his motion sickness medication.

"I might as well take these while my stomach is feeling steady. An ounce of prevention, as they say."

Niki looked over at him with a concerned face, "Sheldon, I don't know if you're supposed to take those unless you need them. We don't know how they will affect you."

Sheldon read the package carefully and told her, "It says to take one every four hours. I do believe I will take two. I see it this way, if one is good, two must be better."

Niki sat up in the bed and grabbed the package to read it for herself, "Sheldon, you're a scientist, you know better than to do that."

He retrieved the pills, took two, patted her leg and said, "Trust me, Little Lady; I know what I am doing."

Niki rolled her eyes and sighed, she knew how stubborn he could be. "Suure you do. If you have a bad reaction to those pills, I'm going to say 'I told you so' so hard."

He shook his head in dismissal of her concerns, "Niki, now you're just being ridiculous. I will be fine. Now, shall we resume watching Batman?"

Niki lay back down, "If you insist. But I still think you shouldn't have taken two of those pills."

"I heard you the first time. Niki, I'm fine."

Twenty minutes later, Sheldon grabbed Niki's arm and told her, "Come with me. I think a jog around the perimeters of the boat would be exciting!"

Her eyes went wide and she spat out, "Say what? Sheldon, we're going to dinner in a couple of hours."

He left the bed and began to get dressed, "I don't care. Jogging is supposed to be an excellent cardiovascular exercise. Think of how healthy we could get by just going wherever our legs take us."

Niki attempted to grab his shirt tail, "I think our legs should stay right here until dinner time."

He pulled away from her and stated in a rushed tone of voice, "The NIH has recently stated that people nowadays are entirely too sedentary. Come, Niki, let's go and get our blood pumping through our veins!"

She tried to reason with him, "Sheldon, we already have. Twice."

"Oh c'mon. Where's your sense of adventure? I'm willing to bet there are many parts of this ship we have yet to explore, and I'm heading out to find them." He headed for the door, opened it and cried, "Zoom, zoom, zoom!"

Niki sat on the bed in shock for a moment and then placed a call to Leonard and Penny.

 _Hello?_

 _Leonard, I think you should come over here._

 _What's up?_

 _Sheldon just took off out the door._

 _What do you mean?_

 _He took twice the normal dose of his seasick meds and instead of making him sleepy, well, they had the opposite effect._

 _Okay, what was he like before he took off?_

 _Well, it was like a mixture of him being drunk on his ass and tweeking. Hey, I've got to go. I think I just saw him run by._

 _Niki, keep us updated on where he is and what he's doing. We'll join you asap, okay?_

 _Sure, I'm trying to follow him now. I'll call you back when I know something._

She quickly dressed, headed out the door and, as she had guessed, found him in the ship's movie theater that was playing the latest Star Wars movie. She quickly put a call in to Leonard.

 _Get down here quickly! He's in the movie theater. He's making strange noises and moving from seat to seat._

 _He's most likely looking for the acoustic sweet spot. He does that in theaters he's never been to before. Make sure he doesn't leave. We'll be there as soon as we can._

A huge grin appeared on Leonard's face and he told his wife, "Sheldon's on the loose inside the ship and we have to go help Niki corral him."

Penny ran for the door, but Leonard stopped her, "We need to hurry, but let's don't forget the most important thing, okay?"

She looked around the room, "What is it? The room key, my purse?"

"No. Bring your phone. This is so going on YouTube!"

Back in the theater, people were starting to get annoyed by Sheldon's strange behavior. One especially large, muscular man yelled out to him, "Down in front!", when Sheldon began his routine and blocked the man's view.

Sheldon stared at him in a condescending manner and told him, "There is no need to raise your voice my dear man. I'm merely finding the optimum acoustic location in this theater. I will be finished with this task shortly."

The man stood up, grabbed the front of Sheldon's shirt and repeated, "I said 'down in front' weirdo!"

Sheldon rolled his eyes and told the man, "And I told you that I would be finished shortly. Have you ever considered anger management classes? They wouldn't hurt."

Niki ran into the theater and over to Sheldon. When she reached him she took a hold of his arm and told him, "I think it's best we leave…now!"

He looked at her and pleaded his case, "But the movie hasn't started yet, Niki."

Her patience was wearing as thin as that of the large man next to her, "You've seen this movie five times!"

"And I wish to see it again."

She never let go of his arm and began to pull him up the aisle, "No, we're leaving. We can see it again when we get home." He suddenly broke free and took off. Niki called out, "Sheldon, where are you going? Come back!"

Leonard turned to Penny and asked her, "Did you get all of that?"

Penny grinned and put down her phone, "Every second of it. This is going to be so good!"

"Keep recording. Let's follow Niki and see what he does next."

His 'next' was when Niki followed him as best she could up the stairs to the deck above them. There, she lost track of him until she thought of using the GPS tracker on her phone to locate his. She was lucky, Sheldon had his phone in his possession and the tracker told her he was currently in the ship's kitchen. Afraid of what she would find, she nonetheless entered the area and found Sheldon giving a stern lecture on germs and hygiene to the ship's head chef, who was in the middle of preparing eggs for the night's deserts and the next morning's breakfast.

He looked over the poor man's shoulder and noticed he wasn't using fresh eggs. It was then that more mayhem commenced as Sheldon started in on him, "I beg your pardon? Since when have powdered eggs mixed with H2O been considered a proper breakfast food? Here, give me some authentic hen ova and I will show you how to make a true breakfast. I make my fiancé breakfast in bed quite often, and trust me; I do not use powdered eggs. You can tell a civilization is on its last legs when breakfast, the most important meal of the day, comes in a powdered form."

Once again, Niki rushed to his side and attempted to extricate the both of them from an embarrassing situation. "Sheldon, it's time for you to leave the poor man to his work and go back to our room. Please come with me." This time she had to tug so hard on his arm she appeared to be dragging him. Hiding behind a counter, Leonard and his wife could barely control their laughter and Penny began to find it difficult to hold the phone steady while recording.

Once clear of the kitchen door, Sheldon took off running again and Niki shouted, "Shit!" at the top of her lungs. She then took off running after him once more. This time she again found him one deck below and sitting in on a lecture on Man's Superiority to Other Species. _Oh, he's loving this lecture for sure!_ Niki said to herself as she looked through a window into the room. All seemed calm, Sheldon was sitting quietly and listening to the lecture, and she began to relax. Until…something unexpected happened.

The lecturer was droning on and on, attempting to make his point to an extremely bored and sparse audience, "And time and time again it has been proven that the ability of Homo sapiens to think rationally and use their mind's imagination to form tools to problem solve is the apex of human existence."

Sheldon stood up quickly and interrupted him, "Excuse me? Where did you read that load of poppycock? Everyone knows the apex of human existence is that nanosecond before orgasm. Nothing in this world can equal its splendor or power. You know that moment, the one where if you or your sexual partner so much as move a muscle, you will both go over the edge. One afternoon last month, my lady kept me on that edge for over five minutes. Now _that_ was the apex of _my_ existence."

Niki cringed and looked over at Leonard, "You're up, brother. It's your turn to go in there and retrieve him."

Leonard chuckled, "Why Niki? I would say he's making you famous in there, or infamous. It just depends on how you look at it." Seeing her temper rising he changed his tune, "Okay, okay, I'll go get him out of there." Penny just kept the camcorder on her phone running, while shaking with laughter.

Leonard crossed the room and placed a hand on Sheldon's shoulder, "Hey, buddy. Don't you think it's time we left? It's almost time for dinner."

Sheldon turned and seemed to notice his friend for the first time, "Ah, Leonard. I was just extolling the virtues of being on the brink of orgasm. Judging by the sounds that used to emanate from your bedroom, you and Penny have experienced that feeling far more than I have. Tell the good folks here about the times you have had that amazing experience with your wife."

The audience was now far from bored; they were all intently focused on Sheldon and Leonard, the official lecturer long forgotten. Leonard looked around the room and pleaded with him nervously, "Sheldon, I think it's time we left. I'm sure these good people have had enough of your viewpoint and would rather go back to what they were doing."

The crowd spoke as one, "No, tell us, tell us, tell us!"

Leonard forcefully pulled Sheldon from the room and called back to the crowd, "That's another story for another time! 'Bye!" Right outside the door, Penny was almost wetting herself she was cracking up so badly, and Niki looked as if she wanted the ground to open up and swallow her.

True to form, the second Leonard got Sheldon out the door; he spun and took off in another direction. "Oh for the love of…" Leonard muttered as all three of them took off after Sheldon once again.

This time, the GPS on Niki's phone pinpointed his location as the Children's Playroom which was, again, on the floor above them. It took some time for the three friends to navigate the maze of video games, pachinko machines, foosball tables, and bop-a-moles before they found Sheldon among a group of five-year-olds in the ball pit.

Leonard had a painful flashback to the time he had attempted to chase his friend through another ball pit years before. He decided on a different tactic this time and spoke sternly to him, "Sheldon, get out of the ball pit. This is the children's playroom and though I wouldn't bet any money on it right now, you are an adult and not a child."

"Hello, Leonard. I wish to remain here with my new friends." Sheldon greeted him while pointing to a small group of children in the pit with him.

Leonard was losing his patience and his voice betrayed this, "For god's sake, they're five years old! How can they be your friends?" Niki stood in the background, praying for death or at least for a time machine to go back two hours in time.

"They are here with me, not telling me to leave, as you are."

Leonard finally lost the last shred of his composure; it wasn't funny anymore, though Penny was still getting a kick out of the whole thing. He began to shout, "Sheldon, get out of there! They could have us thrown off the ship!"

Sheldon stood up in the ball pit and gave Leonard a stubborn look, "I'd like to see them try."

Leonard ended up pleading with him, "Please, Sheldon, Niki would get very upset if that happened."

"Very well. But you will still have to catch me when I emerge." With that, Sheldon hopped out of the ball pit and was off once more.

Leonard grabbed Sheldon's shoes and called after him, "Sheldon! Come back here!"

They all began to run up the stairs, Penny finding it hard to hold the camera steady while running, when suddenly Niki looked down at her phone.

"Oh shit." she exclaimed, "He's headed for the pool!"

Leonard was close behind her, quickly running out of breath, "I didn't know he had on his swimming trunks."

Niki looked back at Leonard, "He doesn't." She barely avoided a pile of shirts and a pair of pants in her path, "Good god! He's removing his clothes!"

Leonard had to stop to catch his breath while Penny ran past him, still holding her phone and recording everything. He called to Niki, "I don't care what it takes or how you have to do it, but stop him! I'll be right there."

Penny and Niki ran as fast as they could to the upper deck and the pool area. There, they saw Sheldon standing by the pool in just his socks and his underwear. "Damn it! What the fuck is he up to now?" Niki cried, while Penny tried to calm her. "Hey, at least the pool area is empty; everyone must be at the movies or getting ready for dinner."

Niki began to approach him carefully, as you would a stray dog, "Sheldon, it's almost dinner time. Let's go back to our room and get ready."

He began to run around the pool, expertly dodging her attempts to grab him, "But Niki, I'm having fun."

"Well I'm sure as hell not, Sheldon. Get over here."

Penny was convulsed with laughter but still managed to keep filming. Sheldon standing in his underwear and socks arguing with a fully clothed Niki was priceless!

Several times, Sheldon let Niki get very close before he took off running around the pool, "You can try, but you'll never catch me!"

Niki had had enough of the insanity, "Damn you, Sheldon Lee Cooper! If you ever want to touch this body again you will stop this craziness this instant!"

He called back to her, "Niki, I'm not crazy, my mother had me tested."

"Then she needs to get you retested. Now get the hell over here!"

Sheldon came over to her side, enfolded her lovingly in his arms, and jumped, still holding Niki, into the pool. The coolness of the water immediately sobered him up and he took in his state of undress, Niki's waterlogged clothing, shrugged and kissed her long and hard. He finally released her and said, "I'm not sure of what's been happening, but I do believe it is time we go up to our room and prepare for dinner."

Niki looked at him without blinking, "Oh Sheldon, if you only knew." She then drew him close to her and returned his kiss.

Just then, Leonard came running up on deck and over to the pool, "Did she finally catch him?" Then, seeing them together kissing in the water, he smiled, "I guess she did." He turned to his wife, "You know what they say, Penny; all's well that ends well."

She grinned and wiped a tear of mirth from her eyes and held up her phone, "Yep, and I've got it all recorded right on here!"

The rest of their trip was uneventful. Both couples enjoyed the fine dining and accommodations on the ship, the side trip to Ensenada, and romantic times with their partners. When the ship docked back at the Long Beach harbor, they were all quite ready to return home. Penny looked at Leonard while they stood at the rail and asked him, "Are you really going to put Sheldon's Big Adventure on You Tube?"

Leonard grinned at his wife, "I was going to, but I think I've come up with an even better idea." He whispered something in her ear that made her smile. "Oh yes, that's much, much, better. But maybe we could post it on You Tube after?"

Leonard gave an evil laugh, "There's every chance of that, but we'll wait until after. Promise not to tell a soul about this?"

Penny crossed her heart and promised him, "I won't tell anyone, but that's a long way off."

He nodded, "Yep. We're going to let those precious moments caught on camera ferment, like a fine wine."

Penny hugged him tightly, "Leonard Hofstadter, you're truly a man after my own heart."

"And don't you ever forget it."

Meanwhile, Sheldon and Niki were having a deep conversation in their room before heading upstairs to disembark. "Niki, for the last time, will you please tell me what happened the other day?"

She looked up from packing her suitcase, "Sheldon, I've already told you, nothing terrible. Let it go, okay?"

He looked down at his overnight bag, but put nothing inside of it, "But there's this blank spot in my memory. I don't like that."

Niki sat down on the bed and patted the space next to her, inviting him Sheldon to sit there, "My sweet man, do you remember all the times on this trip that have we made love?"

"Of course I do."

She reached over and grabbed his hand gently, "Do you remember all the good meals we've had onboard this ship?"

Sheldon turned to her and said, "Indeed I do. The food was excellent. Except one of the chefs kept looking at me strangely at times."

Niki shook her head, "That's not important. Do you recall all the fun we had hanging out with Leonard and Penny in Ensenada? That was a blast!"

"Yes, that time was quite enjoyable, even if you and Penny did spend way too much on leather goods."

Niki looked at him tenderly, "Well, what you missed was a lot less important than those things."

He sighed and kissed her cheek, "I suppose I'll have to take your word for it. But it was quite disconcerting coming out of whatever it was to find myself in the pool, wearing nothing but my underwear. How did I get in that state, anyway?"

"Again, it's not important. What's important is that we had three great days together. I had a great time. Did you?"

He put his arm around her and pulled her close to him, "Yes, I did. And I didn't get seasick once. That just goes to show you how I was right about taking that double dose of pills."

Niki's eyes narrowed and she shot an angry look at him, "Sheldon Lee Cooper?"

He sat back, a bit startled by the intensity in her voice, "Yes?"

"Shut up, just shut up. I don't want to hear another word about that double dose."

The missing pieces were beginning to fall into place for him, "Did that have something to do with my lack of total recall concerning my actions?"

Niki got up from the bed and returned to packing her suitcase, "Perhaps, but lets' just move past that and think to the future. The movers are coming on Monday to pack and move our things, but we should go up to Altadena this weekend and get the place move-in ready."

"Niki, it already is."

She looked over and winked at him, "Not quite, we need to christen it."

"Christen it? Oh, I see what you mean. Yes, we very much do need to 'christen' the place. And Niki?"

"Yes dear?"

He left the bed and took her in his arms once more, "I will most likely never recall all of the events of my lost afternoon, but I do know I love you and I have the feeling you were looking out for me the entire time."

"Me and a certain couple we know."

He rested his chin on the top of her head, "I see. It would seem I'm a very lucky man to have such good people behind me."

Niki buried her face in his neck, "Hold that thought, Schatzi. Just hold that thought."

 **This chapter was, for the most part, inspired by a song I heard on the radio at work that has always been one of my favorites. Don't worry, Leonard's plan for the video will pop up later in another chapter, as well as the song that inspired it. Does anyone out there care to take a guess as to what song that was? Hint: It was a smash hit in the 80s for a certain new wave band. If you want to hazard a guess, I encourage you to do so. The winner gets to suggest the theme of a future chapter. You come up with the idea and I will write it. Use your imagination. The chapter can focus on any character or characters you wish. So, take a guess by either pm or in a review. You may take as many guesses as you want. I will notify the winner in a pm and announce the winner before the start of the next chapter. Thanks again to all of you who follow this little tale.**


	43. Chapter 43

Chapter 42: Pool Party

 **Sheldon and NIki begin their lives in their new home. Or, the tale of the pool and the couch.**

Niki woke from a sound sleep and rolled over to look at Sheldon. They were done with moving and this had been the first night they had spent in their new home. Sheldon usually rose far earlier than she did, so this was one of the few times she had been given the opportunity to gaze at him while he slept. His face, with its young features, completely belied his age. For a man of 46 he had few wrinkles and he still possessed the majority of his hair, though he now sported distinguished wings of grey at his temples. His lips were still tender and almost pouting and she loved the way his oval face melded seamlessly into his strong chin. His features were still quite handsome and her heart filled with love as she studied the rest of him.

His body was long and lean, with fine muscle definition. He was actually more muscular than he appeared to be when clothed, but not as muscular as Paul had been. Paul had been a large man who was built something like a weightlifter, though not to the extreme level. One of the changes she had helped Sheldon make was that he now slept naked, which pleased her no end. Paul had always slept in briefs and a t-shirt. Niki liked naked better. Sheldon's hands had long, slender fingers that he knew very well how to use on either a game controller or on her erogenous zones. Paul's had been very similar, but he had not used them as well on her body as Sheldon. But it was Sheldon's eyes, now closed, that attracted Niki the most. They were a deep blue and they turned to bright cobalt when his mood turned became happy, angry, or excited. Paul's had a been a deep brown, which danced when he was in full humor, which had been often. Sheldon, that she had seen, never belly laughed or told hilarious jokes. That was the biggest difference between the two men. Sheldon was a more sober and purposeful man, but she loved him as much, if not more, than she had loved Paul. She sighed and rolled over on her back. She wondered why Sheldon was sleeping in today of all days. They were going to help the Hofstadters move the last of their belongings in and then later in the day they were having a barbecue and inviting all of their friends, as well as Mary and Alfred, over to tour their new home. This was going to be the first step in the building of their new life and Niki could not wait to begin the journey.

Sheldon mumbled something in his sleep and turned away from her. Niki suddenly decided she was going to surprise _him_ with breakfast in bed for a change. Sheldon usually enjoyed cereal or some form of French toast for breakfast, but there had been times when he had broken with tradition and joined her in scrambled eggs with either bacon or sausage.

While Niki was busy in the kitchen preparing breakfast, Sheldon began to emerge from his deep slumber. He opened one eye and attempted to take in his surroundings. Something felt off, and then he realized that he and Niki had slept the night before in their new home. He had experienced great difficulties falling asleep in this new locale. He had always felt uncomfortable with change, so his insomnia of the night before had not alarmed him. He had spent part of that time watching Niki sleep. He loved the way her dark lashes stood out against her freckled cheeks; she often looked like a young child when she slept. Her sandy colored hair, splayed out across her pillow, resembled an almost feathery halo.

His eyes had traveled to her body that was much different than Amy's. Amy's body had been curvy, soft, and incredibly womanly. Niki's body was lean and hard, more like a long distance runner's. Her breasts were both smaller and firmer than Amy's had been and her legs and arms were both much longer. Yet both women had aroused strong sexual feelings in him. The biggest difference there was that Amy had hinted vaguely when she had desired sexual relations and waited patiently until he was ready, while Niki was fairly blunt about it and often openly seduced him. Having coitus with Amy had been like holding a soft, sensual, kitten in his arms, while having relations with Niki was like having a tiger by the tail. Amy had always softly whispered her love and devotion to him during their lovemaking. Niki, on the other hand, saved any love talk for outside the bedroom. During the act, she was far more likely to express her level of sexual excitement or her desire for him to stroke faster, harder, or deeper. Amy had caressed him lovingly during the act while Niki often left red scratches on his back and love bites that covered parts of his neck. Both women were entirely different and yet he had found love and intense sexual excitement with each of them. That fact had never ceased to amaze him.

Eventually he had fallen into a dreamless sleep and only awakened when Niki had left the bed. He lay there, luxuriating in the familiar feel of the mattress and the fresh smell of clean, crisp, sheets. He heard stirring in the kitchen and assumed Niki was making herself some breakfast. He considered joining her, but the bed felt so warm and comfortable that he stayed in it, a large tan comforter wrapped around his naked body. Sheldon became fully conscious when Niki entered the bedroom pushing the familiar breakfast cart through the door.

She greeted him with a cheery, "Wake up, sleepyhead! Breakfast is served."

Sheldon stared at the trays on the cart, "What is all this?"

"Breakfast."

He gave Niki a look of exasperation, "I can see that, but why?"

Niki walked over to the bed and sat down next to him, "Sheldon, do you remember before we lived together how we spent Saturday mornings?"

He nodded, "Of course I do. I would watch Dr. Who while you slept, and then you would wake up and we would have breakfast together."

Her eyes left the cart and focused on him, "And what did we do during those breakfasts?"

His eyes opened wide in recognition, "Oh, we talked."

"Exactly. How often do we have breakfast together and talk now?"

Sheldon looked at her and nodded in agreement, "Seldom. We eat and rush off to work or to our other appointments and on weekends you usually sleep in while I get myself breakfast."

"Turn your phone off, Sheldon." Niki told him in a serious voice.

Sheldon clasped his phone to his chest as if it were the most valuable object in the world, "Why do you want me to do that? What if someone needs to get in touch with me in an emergency?"

Niki answered him in a calm tone of voice, "Our land line will still be operational in case of an emergency. We kept the same phone number, so everyone can still reach us easily. Look, I just turned off my phone, too."

His grip on his phone loosened slightly, "I hate to repeat myself, by why are you asking me to do this?"

"Sheldon, you will notice I brought two trays on this cart. We are going to have breakfast in bed together and then we will have an hour or so to really talk to each other before we have to get ready to meet Leonard and Penny at the front house."

"What shall we talk about?"

She gave a long sigh and told him, "What do you say we eat first and see where that leads us."

He reluctantly turned off his phone and turned to help Niki with the trays, "Very well. Let's prepare to eat."

Niki set Sheldon's tray down on his lap and then carefully crawled into the bed and grabbed her own tray and put it down in front of her.

He looked down at the tray Niki had placed in front of him and seemed pleasantly surprised, "Orange juice! Oh, I like that. And scrambled eggs with wheat toast and sausages. You know me so well. Thank you very much."

Niki smiled at him and began to eat, "It's nothing you haven't done for me before. Now, it was my turn. Bon appétit!"

When they had finished their respective meals, Sheldon turned to Niki and asked her, "What do you wish to talk about?"

She looked up at the ceiling and thought for a moment, "Anything. Well, anything besides the weather. Hmmm." Her face brightened and she said, "I know! Do you remember our first kiss?"

"Of course," he answered her, "it was quite satisfactory."

Niki questioned him further, "Why did you like it?"

His lips turned up in a smile at the memory, "Your lips were soft, yielding, and you seemed to enjoy what we were doing quite a bit. That made for a very nice five minutes or so."

Niki leaned her head on his shoulder and looked up at him, "Now, I want you to be honest with me, how long had you been thinking of kissing me?"

His eyes narrowed in concentration and he told her, "That's hard to pinpoint. I'd briefly let the thought flit through my mind from time to time, but I would dismiss the idea as ridiculous thinking and move on to something else."

Niki ran a finger along his jaw line, "Sheldon, when did you seriously begin to want to kiss me?"

He chuckled softly under his breath, "When we were riding that carousel. I felt ridiculous up on that horse, but I looked over at you and you seemed to be enjoying yourself quite a bit. I saw your lips part in a smile and it was then I seriously wondered what it would be like to kiss you. Now, little lady, when did you start to want to kiss me?"

She lay back and gave his question some serious thought, "Let me think. If I want to be honest with myself and you, it was that night you came looking for me while I was out dancing with Penny and Bernadette. You looked so strong and forceful, I wondered what it would be like to have your arms around me and feel your lips on mine. Of course, I denied that feeling to myself, but it was there just the same."

He nodded and then leaned over and kissed her nose, "Okay, NIki. Here's another question, and again, be honest. When did you start to fall in love with me?"

"Wow. I think I had a professional crush on you for a few months before I met you, I thought your mind was brilliant!"

He gave a deep sigh and rolled his eyes, "Niki, everyone thinks I'm brilliant. When did you start to love me?"

Niki eyes were once again fixed on the ceiling, allowing her to collect her thoughts, "Let me think…Love happened gradually. I know exactly when I _started_ to love you. It was when you cancelled our pizza date. I was so angry at you and even though I wouldn't admit it, even to myself, I knew you were someone special to me that night. And when you came to find me at that club, well, that sealed the deal."

Sheldon nodded and reached for her hand, "I began to have feelings for you that night as well. Remember I told you that I tried to get you on the phone and couldn't reach you?"

"I remember." Niki was thinking how good her hand felt in his.

He released her hand and put his arm around her shoulders, "I realized that night that while my friends meant a great deal to me you meant just as much, if not more. I had to find you, I had to tell you that I was sorry for cancelling our dinner, and I had to make sure you were all right."

Niki ran her fingers across his chest, "Sheldon?"

His eyes were closed in contentment as he answered her, "Yes?"

"Enough talking. Show me."

His eyes opened and he looked at her in confusion, "Show you what?"

Niki kissed his cheek and replied, "How much you love me."

He gave a slight chuckle and said, "I suppose we should move these trays first and then go brush our teeth."

"I'm one step ahead of you." She handed him a small bottle, "Here you go, mini bottles of mouth wash that can be safely swallowed. They just came out with these a few weeks ago."

Sheldon stared at the bottle and opened it, "Fascinating. All right. Bottoms up!"

Niki opened her own bottle and sampled it, "So to speak."

They set their trays down next to the bed and he began to kiss her neck and caress her arms, "Oh, you're bad Dr. Horner."

Niki pressed her body into his, "Let me show you just how bad I can be, Dr. Cooper."

Sheldon's hands began to softly stroke her back, "Oh my lady. You have my attention."

Niki let out a groan of pleasure, "Show me, Sheldon, now."

Later, they lay content in the afterglow which follows intense lovemaking. Both of their eyes were closed and contented sighs came from both parties. Niki traced lazy patterns on his arm, which lay across her stomach, and smiled to herself with happiness.

The first words spoken came from Sheldon, "It never ceases to amaze me how much I enjoy coitus with you. You do know how to jump start my limbic system, don't you?"

Niki finally opened her eyes, looked over at him and grinned, "It works both ways, Dr. Cooper. Now we have to clear these breakfast trays and get ready to meet Leonard and Penny at the main house."

"Niki?" He asked her in a soft voice.

"What, Sheldon?"

He pulled her close to him and said, "This place is now starting to feel like home to me."

Niki giggled softly and replied, "Well, a good meal and morning coitus will do that for you."

"Agreed. " He threw the comforter off both of them and bounded out of the bed, "Last one in that amazing shower does the dishes!"

Niki and Sheldon met with the Hofstadters at exactly 12 noon at the main house. Penny had been busy with rehearsals since they had returned from their cruise, so she was excited to tour their living quarters with Niki while Leonard explored his new office with Sheldon.

Niki opened the end door downstairs and told Penny, "And here's your bedroom. Your furniture looks so great in here."

Penny took it all in and nodded happily, "Yeah, it does." She opened a door on one end of the room, "Just look at all that closet space!"

"And that bathroom!" added Niki.

Penny entered that bathroom and walked over to the shower and tub, she had seen them before, but never as 'hers', ready for her to move in. She asked her friend, "I love the Jacuzzi. Does your place have one of those?"

Niki nodded and joked, "Our bedroom suite is exactly like this one, or you two would have been living in the back."

Penny looked out the door of the room, "What are we going to use as our living room?"

"Well, you've got that Great Room out there, but that's going to be the reception area, isn't it? How about the library/den?"

Penny's smiled disappeared, "Leonard has already claimed that as his 'man cave'."

Niki thought a moment and then told her, "I know! There is that room between the bedroom and the 'man cave'."

Penny shook her head and then said, "Niki, can you keep a secret?"

"Of course. What is it?"

She suddenly grinned happily, "Leonard and I were saving that room for the nursery."

Niki mouth popped open in shock, "You mean you're…?"

Penny gave a laugh and winked at her friend, "Not yet, but we're trying. We're trying a lot!"

Niki studied the bedroom for a minute, "Well, I think the open area in the back of that closet is more than enough room for a nursery for a couple of years. But that's up to you. Penny, can you keep a secret?"

She turned to Niki and replied, "Sure."

"We're going to be trying, too. Sheldon and I are thinking of starting the IVF process next month. I've had two ectopic pregnancies, so that seemed the safest route for us to take."

Penny grabbed her friend and gave her a huge hug, "Oh my god! I'm so excited for you guys!"

Niki extricated herself from the vice-like hug and told her, "Likewise. Do you want a boy or a girl?"

"Well, Leonard says he doesn't care, but I think we both want a boy. What about you two?"

Niki shrugged and then smiled broadly, "I really don't care either way, but Sheldon has his heart set on a girl, so we'll try to make that happen for him."

As they walked out to the Great Room Penny told Niki, "I promise, I won't tell a soul."

Niki gave Penny a warm hug of her own, "Neither will I."

Meanwhile, Sheldon was showing Leonard what was going to be his new office. "Here you go, Leonard. As you can see, it's much larger than your office at Cal Tech. Plus, you will have an entire laser lab to work in down in Howard's wing of the building. It is located down the hall from his work area."

Leonard took in the office and shook his head, "Sheldon, I don't know what to say. This office is really plush and more than I really need."

Sheldon replied in a sincere voice, "Nothing is too good for my best friend."

"You know, Sheldon, I had my doubts about coming here at first, but now I'm so glad I did." Leonard clapped Sheldon on the shoulder, "Thanks, buddy."

"You're welcome, Leonard. Now, shall we rejoin the ladies?"

The afternoon was going much better than Niki had expected. Howard, Stuart, and Georgia were playing in the pool with Kelly, Leonard was busy entertaining his father with tales from their cruise (never mentioning Sheldon's adventure), and Raj and Amanda were having an intimate conversation at one of the poolside tables. Niki was happy because she was getting some quality time with Penny and Bernie and that always pleased her. Niki was of the belief that spending time with her girls was just as important as work or being with Sheldon. She tried to have balance in her life and afternoon like this helped her do that.

"Look at Sheldon, all over there grilling burgers and dogs!" Penny exclaimed as she watched him chat with Mary as he worked the grill.

Niki gave short chuckle, "Yeah, he's really getting into his Mr. Homeowner persona. Just look at that chef's hat and apron he's wearing. I bought those as a gag gift and he was actually pleased to get them. Who knew?"

Bernie looked from the grill to the pool and said, "Judging by that pile of hamburgers and hot dogs he's grilled, I'd say we're eating soon. I'd better get Howard and Kelly out of the pool in a minute or two."

"That's a good idea. I'll go over and ask Sheldon how much longer." As she walked across the yard, Niki felt ready to burst with happiness. She had good friends, a lovely home, a wonderful partner, and a job she loved _. How did I ever get this lucky?_ _I let Sheldon Cooper kiss me that first time at Disneyland. That was the start to how I got all of this. I took a big chance and it's paid off in spades!_ She approached Sheldon at the grill and asked him, "Hey, handsome, how much longer until we eat? Bernie wants to know if she should pull Howard and Kelly out of the pool. _"_

Sheldon looked up from the grill, "Niki, tell everyone that this is a 'Free Range' affair. Everyone can come up and help themselves to either a hamburger or a hot dog with all the fixings whenever they feel so inclined."

Bernie came up to them and in a cheerful voice, told him, "That's great, Sheldon! I'll get Howie and Kelly out of the pool now. They haven't had a bite to eat since lunch. Those burgers look great. Where did you learn to work the grill so well?

He smiled as he flipped another burger onto the already heaping plate, "I'm from Texas. You learn to grill as soon as you can walk."

The afternoon wore on and eventually evening arrived. Raj told Niki and Sheldon, "I'm going to take Amanda up to see the telescope. I can't wait to show her its power!"

Niki turned quickly to face him and asked, "Raj, could you wait a bit on that? I have had workers in the front house and I don't want anyone going in there until they're finished. I've got a surprise waiting for everyone in there. Why don't you all come in our house for awhile and we can continue the party for a bit in there."

As they entered the home, Georgia admired the pine paneling and the open floor plan, "I love the living room and kitchen. How rustic! It's almost like a mountain cabin in here."

Niki replied with a hint of pride in her voice, "Yes, we both fell in love with it the moment we saw it. Especially that fireplace!"

Howard nudged Sheldon in the ribs and winked, "I'll bet you guys have plans for spending the winter nights in front of that baby."

Sheldon attempted to display ignorance at the meaning of Howard's words, "I'm sure I don't know what you mean." But his valiant attempt to keep a somber face failed him.

Niki raised her voice to be heard above all the chatter in the room, "Everyone, pay attention. Would anyone like something to drink? We have water, fruit juices, Yoo-Hoo, or tea."

One by one their guest received their drink of choice and eventually the conversation died down. Niki saw this and began to get worried until a phone call told her that all was ready in the front house.

"Okay guys, let's head on over to the other building. I've got some sweet surprises for my fellow scientists."

All five scientists and the rest of the guests made their way to the front house and followed Niki up the stairs. She paused and told them, "I had something special made for each of you, but first, I have to tell you I took the liberty of giving this little enterprise a name."

Howard asked her, "What did you come up with?"

Niki told them, "I named it Pentagram Science Research Facility."

Mary looked completely befuddled, "Why a funny name like that? Don't Satanists use that shape?"

"Mary, they may use it, but to scientists, a pentagram is just a shape that is used everywhere, not just by those people. There is no evil or witchcraft associated with this shape as far as I'm concerned."

Sheldon's face lit up and he interjected his thoughts, "It's perfect! There are five of us that are going to be working here. Mother, a pentagram is a shape which has five edges and five vertices. All the interior angles are equal at 36 degrees, as we all are equals in this endeavor. The square root of 36 is 6, which is Niki's favorite number. Also, a pentagram is a five pointed star, which is a great symbol for a facility that is studying the universe. The best part is that a pentagram is cyclic, equilateral, isogonal, and isotoxale. Niki, you outdid yourself."

She took his hand and asked him, "You don't mind that I came up with the name on my own?"

He hugged her tightly, "Mind? That preposterous! I didn't have time to come up with a name for this place. Plus, this name highlights everything this facility is about. Good job!"

Niki looked at her friends, "How about the rest of you? Do you like the name?"

Howard smiled at her and said, "I don't have a problem with it."

Raj chimed in, "Me, either."

Leonard nodded his head and grinned at Niki, "I think it's great!"

"Okay, now on to the surprises. I want you to all follow me down the hall, please. First, we are going to unveil Sheldon's office." Niki removed a strip of black paper from the door of his office. What was revealed was a large, bronze plaque with the following inscription on it:

 **Dr. Sheldon Cooper; BS, MS, MA, Ph.D., Sc.D**

 _Head Theoretical Physicist/Co-Owner_

 _Pentagram Science Research Facility_

Sheldon's face showed his pleasure as he looked at Niki and said, "Thank you. It is both beautiful and accurate. I love it."

Next came Niki's office and her plaque read:

 **Dr. Nikita Horner; BA, BS, MS, Ph.D**

 _Head Astrophysicist/Co-Owner_

 _Pentagram Science Research Facility_

She then led Leonard to his office and his plaque, which was inscribed:

 **Dr. Leonard Hofstadter; BS, MS, Ph.D**

 _Head Experimental Physicist/Shareholder_

 _Pentagram Science Research Facility_

The last door upstairs belonged to Raj. When Niki removed the paper from the door of his office, he saw:

 **Dr. Rajesh Koothrappali; BS, MS, Ph.D**

 _Head Astrophysics /Plasma Specialist/Shareholder_

 _Pentagram Science Research Facility_

Niki then had them all follow her downstairs and down the hall of the wing which held Howard's office and work room. His plaque read:

 **Mr. Howard Wolowitz; BA,BS,**

 _Head Aerospace Engineer/Shareholder_

 _Pentagram Science Research Facility_

Niki had a special surprise for Howard. She led him past the expansive laser lab and to an end room. She slowly opened the door of this room and Howard saw a 3-D printer, his dream machine. "Howard, this one is a special gift from Sheldon and me to you."

"I don't know what to say. I guess 'Thank you' is appropriate, but…" he never finished his thought as he kept shaking his head and looking from his plaque to his printer.

Sheldon patted him on the shoulder, "Howard, I know you will do good things here. And we have given you the proper tools to prove me correct."

Howard was truly moved, "Sheldon, I, I…don't know what to say."

"Tell me you'll be here Monday morning ready to work your magic."

Howard looked over at his wife, "Yeah, for sure. Bernie, did you see all of this, all they've done for all of us?"

She nodded and smiled and gave Niki and Sheldon a warm look, "Yes, Howie. And I think we should all say thanks to them. Niki, Sheldon, you guys did this thing right."

Sheldon wrapped his arms around Niki from behind and told her, "I love what you've done here. I'm especially appreciative of my office door."

"All of you mean so much to me. You've all accepted me as both a friend and a colleague, and that means the world to me. Now, I have to ask all of you, are you ready to start work on that Nobel Prize?

They all answered her, "Yes!"

Sheldon nodded and smiled, "Gentlemen, Niki, let's make it happen."

Later that evening, Leonard and Penny excused themselves and told Niki and Sheldon that they were headed to the movies to take in a film that Penny had been wanting to see for over a month.

Leonard explained to them, "I know we said we'd watch the place at night, but Penny's been so busy she hasn't had a chance to really relax and enjoy a movie. We haven't had time for a date night in awhile and I want to do that for her tonight."

Sheldon finished loading the dishwasher and looked up, "Fear not, my friend. It was for situations such as this that I had a security alarm installed in the front. Go and enjoy your movie without any concerns. What film are you going to be seeing, anyway?"

Leonard grinned with more than a little amusement, he knew how Sheldon would react to this one, "Some romcom starring the silver screen's latest heartthrob."

"Oh dear lord! And you agreed to this? I fear for your state of mental health, Leonard."

Leonard walked out the front door and headed for the main building, "Don't worry about me, Sheldon, I'll be fine. We should be home by midnight. Don't wait up."

Sheldon followed him and shook his head in disapproval, "Forgive me for saying this, but Niki and I are most often in bed by ten o'clock."

Penny spoke up and teased them, "Sweetie, he was talking about actually being asleep. Being in bed does not necessarily mean you are sleeping. Especially with you two."

"I see. Well, carry on then."

Niki gave Penny a quick hug, "Have a good time you guys and we'll see you tomorrow."

When Leonard and Penny had left, Niki gazed at the pool and told Sheldon, "You know, many of our friends had fun in that pool today, but we, as the owners of this property, have never even put a foot in it."

Sheldon stopped his cleaning of the barbecue grill and asked her, "Do you enjoy swimming, Niki?"

She remained staring at the pool and replied, "I sure do! Do you know how to swim?"

Once again, he stopped in the middle of his cleaning and answered, "Of course. I learned the basic mechanics from the internet."

Niki's eyes left the pool and focused on Sheldon, not quite believing what she had heard," You mean to tell me you learned how to swim from the internet? That's kind of different."

"How did you learn, if I may ask?"

Niki looked back at the pool and answered his question, "I was three. My dad threw me into the pool. There were only two possible outcomes. As I'm still here, it worked. I swam."

Sheldon rolled his eyes heavenward, "And you said my method was different."

Niki turned to him and gave him a beguiling smile, "Whatever, Sheldon. Let's go swimming."

"But I don't enjoy swimming."

A mischievous look crossed her face, "What if I found a way to make you enjoy it?"

Sheldon shook his head stubbornly and asked her, "How on earth could you do that? I believe I have made my aversion to swimming abundantly clear to you."

Niki remembered that on their cruise Sheldon seemed to have had no problem jumping into the pool with her. Okay, he had been under the influence of medication, but she had a plan. She dropped the sun dress she had been wearing to reveal a very skimpy black bikini. She loosened the top a bit and dove in. When she floated back to the surface, her bikini top was missing and her breasts were completely exposed. She grinned wickedly at Sheldon and said nothing.

Sheldon took in the scenario, began pulling off his clothes and called to her, "Perhaps I spoke too soon!"

Leonard unlocked their front door and told Penny, "I'm sorry the movie was sold out, but we can go back to see it later on this week."

Penny sadly nodded, "Yeah, I know. But I was looking forward to seeing it tonight. Hey, I know what we can do. I'll go in the kitchen and make us a late night snack. What do you want, Leonard?"

"Let's go there and see what we have."

Once in the kitchen they both heard noises from outside. Penny's eyes grew wide and she asked her husband, "Leonard, could you take a look outside and see what's going on?"

He looked at her in confusion, "Why me?"

Penny rolled her eyes and explained to him, "Because I'm fixing us a snack. If there's someone out there, you should call the police and Sheldon, in that order."

Leonard shook his head and headed towards the window, "Can I just leave him out of it? I don't need to hear it about us leaving tonight and enabling an intruder to get in here."

"Whatever. Just take a look, okay? "

Leonard pulled the blinds back a bit to see outside without being seen, "Sure. If that makes you happy I'll just…OH MY GOD!"

Penny dropped the plate she had been holding and asked him in a terrified voice, "Leonard, what is it? Is it a robber? Do they have a gun?"

He shook his head, "No, it's not a robber and they don't have a gun, but…"

Penny walked over to where he was standing, "Well what is it?"

Leonard took a step back and made room for her to look, also, "Come here and see for yourself."

What they both saw was Niki and Sheldon completely naked in the pool, doing what comes naturally. Niki had her arms around his neck and he was greedily tasting her breasts. He stopped and she giggled,  
"What's next, Mr. I Hate Swimming?"

"This." Sheldon said, as he carried her to the steps of the pool and positioned her for further fun.

Leonard's eyes grew big, "Okay, I don't need to see anymore of that. I could be scarred for life."

Penny held up one of her hands, "Wait, Leonard. I want to see if they stop and take it indoors."

He hurriedly closed the blinds, "No you don't. Let's leave them to whatever they're going to do and make our snack."

Penny took a step back, "Whoa, do you think they're actually going to…oh my god; Kelly swam in that pool today and may come back tomorrow!"

"Again, maybe we should go back to what we were doing. I do not want to see this."

"Leonard?" Penny asked him suggestively.

"What now?"

"Those two have inspired me." She gave him a lascivious look.

"How's that?"

Penny twirled her hair and put on her best seductress voice, "Well, there's that huge sectional sofa out there in the Great Room, just waiting for someone to climb on and get a little nasty."

"You mean…?" Leonard's grin was wide and happy.

Penny nodded.

He pulled her close and whispered in her ear, "You're a dirty, dirty, girl. And I love it!"

After awhile, Niki and Sheldon pulled themselves out of the water and he had an entirely new appreciation for the pool. Both of their faces were flushed and he told her, "We must do that again sometime."

"Yeah, that was wild. You sure know how to keep it interesting, Cooper."

"I do believe that it takes two to do that. However, Leonard and Penny have been gone awhile and I think we should check the front house and see that everything is safe and secure."

"Okay, let's go."

They each wrapped themselves in a towel and entered the house through the kitchen and like the Hofstadters earlier, heard sounds that caused them both concern.

Niki grabbed his arm, "Sheldon, I think I hear something or someone in the Great Room."

He hesitated before saying, "As do I. I suppose we should go see what that is all about."

Niki took a step back, "What's this 'we' business? I'm not going out there. All I'm wearing is a towel."

"As am I. I don't understand your reluctance."

Niki's voice conveyed her exasperation with him, "Sheldon, all of your private parts are covered by that towel. I am not that lucky."

He turned his head to face her and grinned wickedly, "Those _are_ an excellent pair of breasts you have there."

Niki's eyes narrowed and she spat out, "And they're for your eyes only! Now, could you just take a peek and see what's going on? That noise is getting louder."

He sighed and opened the door a crack and looked out, "Very well. I assure you, your fears are completely unfou…OH DEAR LORD!"

Niki jumped and her eyes went wide, "What is it? Shall I call 911?"

Sheldon shook his head and motioned her over.

Niki's eyes grew even wider and she whispered loudly, "Shit! They're about to do it on the couch!"

Sheldon quickly closed the door, looked over at her and calmly replied, "We did it in the pool."

"That's different. Clients won't be sitting on our pool."

Sheldon gave her a quizzical look, "Don't be silly. Of course not, they'd sink. Besides, we have no present clients."

Niki gave a quick retort, "Well, Kelly may come back tomorrow and sit there."

"She may also swim in the pool, Niki."

Niki attempted to explain the difference to him, "Yes, but there's chemicals in the pool."

Sheldon advised her, "Maybe we should go back to our house. Leonard and Penny are home and we should most likely give them some privacy."

Niki suddenly turned away from the doorway, "Sheldon, they're actually going to…you're right, let's leave them to it. I could be scarred for life."

Sheldon agreed with her, "As could I. Shall we go home and make us a snack?"

Niki asked him in amazement, "Are you hungry? My appetite has kinda taken a nose dive."

He nodded and made an alternate suggestion, "Yes, I agree with that. So, we could watch a movie?

Niki took his hand as they left the house, "As long as it's not Neighbors, I'm there."

The next morning, Niki saw Penny pouring extra chlorine into the pool and laying Niki's bikini top on the deck to dry, while Penny spied Niki wiping down the couch with Lysol. For the next few days, both couples cast uncomfortable sideways glances at the each other every time they met. Both wondered what was up with the other pair, but instinct told them they didn't really want to know.

 **Well, that was quite the housewarming, wasn't it? The holidays are fast approaching for our couples. How will that work in the** i **r new place? Read on and find out.**


	44. Chapter 44

Chapter 44: Giving Thanks or The Family Feud

 **Sheldon and Niki host Thanksgiving Dinner at their new home and their families meet for the first time. After all, Thanksgiving is a time for families to get together. Unfortunately.**

One night after dinner, Sheldon watched Niki pouring over the notes she had been writing for the last week. Her attention, outside of work, had been dedicated to whatever those writings contained. During the day, she had been working diligently on her research, often not leaving her office until well after dinner time. This was most likely to make up for all the time they had lost while on Administrative Leave. In the evenings she had focused on writing and rewriting the notes she had scribbled on a yellow legal pad. Sheldon had not been overly concerned about this; he had been working long hours himself. But on this night he found himself becoming curious as to just what those notes contained.

His curiosity peaked until he could stand it no longer and he asked her in a somewhat petulant voice, "Whatever have you been writing on those pages?"

Niki looked up at him briefly and muttered, "Thanksgiving."

"What about Thanksgiving? Are we going to the Wolowitz's home? They always host it for our group."

She looked up at him and shook her head, "We're having it here."

His face registered his displeasure and shock, "Why on earth are we hosting Thanksgiving here? You know I enjoy having guests over, but a Thanksgiving meal is a lot of work to prepare."

Niki made a mild attempt to placate him, "Don't worry about that. Raj, Georgia, and Stuart have already volunteered their services for the meal prep. So did Bernie, but she deserves a year off, don't you think?"

He nodded, but his mind was still unsettled, "Of course Howard's wife deserves the year off. But why, dear god, are we having it here?"

Niki crossed the room and grabbed another pencil with a better eraser, "Because we are getting married in the near future and it is about time we met each other's families, don't you think?"

"I can both understand and appreciate your thinking on that matter, but why on Thanksgiving of all days?"

She sat down on the couch and finally looked at him for longer than a second and smiled, "Simple. If you are irritated by mine, or I by yours, we will have other people to talk to and the meal to focus on. Now, does that make sense to you?"

Sheldon feeling were a bit hurt, so he sat down next to her and asked, "I see. Are you worried about your family meeting me?"

She placed a reassuring hand on his arm, "Not worried exactly, just covering all of my bases in case there's friction. Right now, I'm working on the seating chart."

"May I ask how that is being arranged?"

Niki began to read off of her notes in a very matter-of-fact voice, "Absolutely. On the left side of the table I am starting with Bernadette, and then comes Howard. I am sitting my brother, who is divorced and single, next to Howard. Both Howard and my brother are aerospace engineers, so they should be comfortable talking shop with each other. On the other side of my brother I'm sitting Alfred. My brother has also studied ancient languages as a hobby, so he should do well there, also. Next to Alfred will be your mother, of course. I've put my mother next to yours because they are both Christian and work for their respective churches. That should keep them both happy and occupied. On the other side of the table I have started with Stuart and Georgia on the far end. I'm putting your sister next to them because Georgia gets along with everyone and I don't know that much about your sister. They both have teenage sons, so they can talk about that, I guess. Naturally, your sister's husband is next to her. I've seated Raj next to your sister's husband because Raj gets along with everyone. You've also told me your sister's hubby loves cooking, so Raj is the perfect person to sit there. Amanda is sitting at the end of that side. You and I, as the hosts, will be seated at either end. The children will all sit separately, regardless of their ages. I'm sure they'll find something to do that won't destroy the place. Kelly should keep them all in line, so I'm not worried about that. Not one of my sibling's children is coming, they're all young adults and have better things to do, I suppose. They are coming for Christmas, though. I'm still working on where to put my sister and her husband. They are very problematic."

Sheldon looked over her shoulder at the list, "Fascinating. Where did you learn to do this seating of guests at mealtime?"

Niki sighed and explained this to him, "When you're married to a successful attorney, you give tons of dinner parties and you learn how to seat people with similar interests together and keep those with opposing viewpoints separate. It's all very tedious and I don't like to do it, but I can if I have to."

Sheldon once again studied the seating chart, "Beyond the fact of our families meeting, why are you doing this then? No one is forcing you to have Thanksgiving here, especially me."

She stood up and kissed his cheek, "I know that. I just felt that this was the perfect opportunity for our respective families and our friends to get to know each other before the wedding. I'll be glad when it's all over, though."

Sheldon stood up, also, "So you're having difficulties seating your sister and her spouse?"

She nodded, aggravation showing on her face, "Sure am. I always have problems with them."

"Why is that?" Sheldon asked her as he returned the pad to her.

She placed the pad containing her notes on the coffee table and answered his question, "For the simple fact that no one who has ever met them likes either of them, including my brother and I. My sister's a witch and her husband is a bigoted simpleton."

His face brightened in recognition, "That sounds like Texas to me."

Niki wrapped her arms around his neck, "Hey, don't say that! Lots of great people are from Texas! _You're_ from Texas."

"But I'm an anomaly."

She nodded in agreement, "Okay, I'll give you that one. You'd be a walking, talking, anomaly no matter where you were from."

Sheldon's eyebrow rose considerably and he asked, "Excuse me, was that meant to be an insult?"

Niki kissed his cheek, "Not at all. You are a unique human being. I have never met anyone quite like you."

He gave her a look of uncertainty, "Is that good or bad?"

Niki nuzzled his neck and told him, "Good. Very, very, good."

By the week before Thanksgiving, Niki had finished organizing both the guest list and the seating arrangements. It was with a huge sigh of relief that she put her notepad down and took the evening off to spend some quality time with Sheldon. They were sitting on the couch relaxing when his phone rang and he picked it up and answered it.

He listened intently for a minute and then remarked, _No, I can't have him come at the last minute. Niki has just finished the seating chart that has taken her the last two weeks to put together. I understand Mother, but this is very last minute. What? All right, if you must. Yes, I understand, but Niki may be another matter entirely. Yes, I'll tell her. Goodnight, Mother._

Sheldon looked at Niki, his face a study in irritation, "Good lord, we're doomed!"

Niki was curious, "What's that all about? What did your mother say that got you upset?"

He placed his head in his hands, "It seems my mother has invited my brother to join us."

Niki didn't see a good reason for his angst and she shrugged and told him, "Okay that messes up the seating a bit, but it's only one more person. Tell me about him so I can place him somewhere. You never talk about him at all and he's your brother!"

He looked up and his eyes narrowed, "You want to know something about my brother?"

"Yes, if you don't mind."

Sheldon stood up and headed for the kitchen, "I'll give you four little words that will explain it all. He was just paroled. For the third time in fifteen years."

Now it was Niki's turn to hold her head in her hands, "Oh damn."

Sheldon looked back at her from the other room, "Oh damn, indeed. My mother does not want him at the house in Texas by himself, so she has had him transferred and released here. It seems the reprobate with be joining us for Thanksgiving."

Niki tried to look on the bright side, "Sheldon, whatever else he is, he's still part of your family and we'll just have to make room for him. I know! I'll place him between our mothers. The two of them will keep him in line. We'll just add another leaf the table and call it a day. Right now, I'm not going to worry too much about it. I have other things I need to catch up on."

He came back into the living room, "Such as?"

Niki rose to meet him and began to run her fingers through his hair, "This." She began to cover his face in little kisses, "And a bit of this." She then ran her hands down past his waist and undid his belt, "And we can't forget the importance of this."

He pulled her close and whispered in her ear, "Shall we devote the next hour to playing catch up?"

"Oh, at least that long, Cooper." She purred. "Maybe even longer."

Most of their friends began to arrive Thanksgiving morning, even though they would not be eating until early evening. True to their word, Raj, Stuart, and Georgia helped a great deal with the meal prep, while the others, including Kelly, played video games with Sheldon to keep him amused and out of Niki's hair. Her friends' help proved invaluable to Niki. Georgia was an excellent baker and Niki appreciated her help with the pies and strudels. Stuart decided to help with the side dishes and he began cutting veggies, peeling potatoes, and preparing the candied yams. Niki put herself in charge of the stuffing. She was using her mother's secret recipe that received raves every time it was served. Together, she and Raj worked their magic on the two turkeys they were preparing. Raj and Niki joked that they would be International Turkeys seeing as they were being prepared by a German/American woman from Monrovia, California and a man who was born and raised in New Delhi, India. Raj also took the vegetables Stuart had prepared and did marvelous things with them, especially the amazing spinach soufflé he produced as if by magic.

Niki's nerves began to get the better of her as the day went on and the time came closer for their families to arrive. The day before, Niki had changed the seating chart so that she and Sheldon could sit next to each other. They both seemed to need the other next to them, whether that was to draw strength from each other or just because they didn't want to sit next to anyone else was a moot point. They were sitting next to each other and that was that. Niki had added a leaf to the table and sat her sister and her husband directly across from her and Sheldon.

Niki had a concern she voiced to Sheldon while they were rearranging the seating, "Sheldon, do you think it would be rude of us to converse with each other in whispers while at the table?"

He gave her a long stare and answered, "Of course. Whispering in and of itself would be rude at a Thanksgiving Dinner."

Niki thought a moment and then asked him, "Then what if I want to rid myself of some stress by making comments to you that no one else should hear?"

Sheldon pondered that question and then a smile appeared on his face and he exclaimed, "I've got it! What languages do you speak?"

"Fluently?"

He nodded, "Yes, fluently."

She closed her eyes and took stock of her languages, "English, Spanish, and German, and some Greek and Latin, but speaking either of the last two in conversation? I do not believe I am comfortable enough with those last languages to do that."

Sheldon walked over to the nearest window and looked out, "I see. What do you think of us speaking German to each other when necessary?"

Niki crossed the room to join him, "That's a very good suggestion. No one in my family speaks German or understands it. That's both strange and sad because my grandparents on both sides came from Germany. How about yours?"

He snorted in derision, "They haven't mastered English yet, much less any foreign language. I do believe we are completely safe speaking German."

"Very good. If we need to have a private conversation, it will be in Deutsch."

Sheldon encircled Niki with his arm, "Agreed. Now, if we can just emerge from tomorrow's events unscathed."

Niki continued to stare out the window with him, "Indeed."

Now, standing in the kitchen preparing the Thanksgiving Feast, Niki recalled that conversation and felt somewhat comforted. If she could tell Sheldon her secret thoughts and feelings, she would most likely be fine. In the midst of these thoughts, Raj came over and reminded her it was time to baste the turkey. He would have done it, but he was busy helping Georgia with a strudel.

At four p.m., both families began to arrive. Mary and Alfred arrived first and were greeted warmly, as everyone loved them both. Sheldon's brother, George, must have been warned to be on his best behavior, as he merely smiled when introduced and shook Niki's hand. She thought he looked somewhat like Sheldon as he was tall and slender with brown hair and blue eyes. But the fire that burned so brightly in Sheldon's eyes was merely a dim light in those of his brother. He also had something hard and devious about him that was totally missing in Sheldon. His sister Missy and her husband, Chuck, were the next guests through the door. After the introductions, Niki told Missy that she thought she was very pretty, as Sheldon's sister had an enchanting smile, Sheldon's blue eyes, and the cutest Texas drawl she had ever heard. She wasn't as impressed with Chuck as beer bellies and a wad of tobacco in the cheek did nothing for her, whatsoever.

"Please remove that disgusting mass from your mouth." Sheldon instructed him, "We do not allow tobacco of any kind in this home."

George's eyes narrowed, and though he replied in a teasing voice, there was unmistakable trace of malice in his delivery, "Same ol' Shelly, annoying as hell."

Sheldon addressed his brother in a matter-of-fact tone, "I'm not the one on parole, so I do believe it can safely be said that you have managed to annoy far more people than I ever have."

Chuck walked up to Sheldon in a threatening manner, "Hey, it's just chew. I'm not blowing smoke at anyone."

Sheldon stood his ground, "Still, this is our home and we do not condone nor allow tobacco use of any kind within these walls."

Bernie walked up to the much larger man and told him, "Sheldon asked you to get rid of the snuff. So remove that tobacco from your mouth this minute, Mister. I'm going to count to three. One…two…" Chuck removed the offending chunk from his mouth with haste and threw it in the trashcan.

"Hey lady," he told her, "I didn't mean to get anyone mad."

"That's better." Bernie nodded and went back to Howard's side.

Niki made the introductions, "Chuck, Bernie. Bernie, Chuck. Bernie, in case you didn't already know, Chuck is married to Sheldon's sister, Missy, and Chuck, Bernie is married to Howard. Howard and Bernie are two of our closest friends. You all know Alfred and Mary already."

After the introductions had been made, Niki looked at Sheldon and said, "I can never figure out how Bernie does that. It must have something to do with being a mom."

Sheldon agreed with her, "More than likely." He let out a tortured sigh, "Niki, I do believe I see your side of this gathering approaching. I suppose we should both go onto the front porch to greet them."

Niki saw her mother heading towards them, followed by her sister and her husband and, bringing up the rear, her brother. Niki's mother, Audrey Horner, was an older version of Niki. She was tall, but with grey streaks running through her caramel colored hair, she had her daughter's build and eye color, also. She smiled warmly at her younger daughter and accepted Sheldon's help up the porch steps.

Niki greeted them with a smile of welcome, "Hey, everyone. I'm so glad you could come. Mom, how are all the folks back in Milwaukee?"

"Just fine, Nikita. They all send their love and wonder when you're going to come back for another visit. What's it been, five years or pretty close to it?"

Niki nodded in agreement, "Yeah, it's been about that long. The last time I was back there, Colleen had just had her baby. How time flies." She acknowledged Sheldon's confused look, "Colleen is one of my favorite cousins on my mom's side."

She then addressed her sister, "Hey, Janine. What's up?" Janine Schaefer was a much shorter version of Niki, but with shorter, darker, hair and an acid disposition. Her grey eyes were flecked with brown and she lacked any of Niki's warmth. She more or less resembled a human icicle, much like Beverly Hofstadter. If she had ever cracked a true smile, Niki had never seen it.

Janine looked both the front and back houses over critically, "Hello, Nikita. This is a very nice property; did Sheldon buy it for you?"

Niki tried to keep her temper in check, "We bought it together, Janine."

Her sister dismissed her answer as if Niki had told the baldest of lies, "Of course you did." She studied Sheldon much like she had the houses, "And this must be your fiancé. Are you a scientist like my brother and sister?"

Sheldon took immediate offense and shot back at her, "Excuse me; but Niki's brother is an engineer and an engineer is not a scientist! Engineers build things _for_ scientists. They are very valuable workers, but they are NOT scientists."

Niki nudged him with her elbow and hissed, "Sheldon, be nice. I'm sure she meant well. And yes, to answer your question, he is a prominent theoretical physicist."

He ignored Niki's attempts at tempering his response, "Really? Ignorance is no excuse. To think that engineers hold a degree in science, well that's just absurd."

Niki elbowed him again and scolded, "Sheldon, Howard is an engineer, and his wife just saved you from getting your butt kicked."

Sheldon refused to back down, "I'm sorry, but Howard is well aware of my feelings. Engineers are important to science, maybe even invaluable, but they are not scientists and they never will be. The two approaches study the universe from completely different mind sets. Scientist work to answer the why. Engineers work to answer the how."

Janine looked over at Howard who had come out on the porch and told him, "Excuse me sir, are you Howard?" He nodded. "Then I believe that man", pointing to Sheldon, "just insulted you and your profession."

Howard shrugged, "Hey, Sheldon said 'I'm sorry'. I'm good."

Niki looked past her sister to Janine's husband, Carl. Carl Schaefer was, what he liked to tell people, a self made man. He had started off cleaning pools for a living and now owned a large pool service with several offices scattered throughout Los Angeles and Orange County. Carl had his managers handle the day to day affairs of the business and spent his time watching TV, attending church, going to Dodger games, and assuming a holier-than-though attitude. Niki hated him with a passion. This snarky couple lived in Big Bear City, but came down to Pasadena in the winters to escape the cold.

"Hey, Carl. How are you?"

He sneered at her as if she were an insect, "I suppose I am doing fine. Are we all supposed to fit inside that house of yours? It's a bit below your usual standards, isn't it? Really, I would think you would be living in that grand front house."

Niki slowly counted to ten and replied, "Sheldon and I prefer this one, Carl."

"Well, I suppose there is no accounting for taste."

Niki suddenly noticed that her brother had been standing there saying nothing. She couldn't blame him. He was staying with her sister and Carl while he was visiting from Oklahoma City, where he was now living and working for Boeing. He was probably relieved that Carl and Janine had someone else to put down instead of him.

"Hey, Wayne!" Niki happily greeted her big brother and wrapped him in a bear hug. Tall, with sandy hair and light blue eyes, he would have been considered exceptionally handsome except that he was shy, seldom spoke, and was nervous around people with whom he was not familiar. He had been that way since his divorce five years earlier. She hoped that sitting him next to Howard would bring him out of his shell a bit.

Niki released her brother from her hug and said, "What do you say we all go in the house? I want to introduce you to Sheldon's family and all of our friends."

Howard commented to Sheldon in a low voice, "Looks like you hit the jackpot with Niki. Imagine if you were paired with her sister?"

Sheldon shuddered, "Perish the thought, Wolowitz."

Eventually all the introductions were complete and Raj announced it was time to eat. The children were seated at a round table at one end of the large kitchen while the adults were led to the long table in the formal dining room. Everything was fairly peaceful until Janine decided that peace was not what she wanted.

She looked up from her plate and addressed Sheldon, "It's wonderful that you are going to make an honest woman of my sister."

He gave her a perplexed look, "Excuse me? I don't understand."

Janine narrowed her eyes and compressed her lips, "Your marriage will give a lift to her, shall we say, soiled reputation."

Sheldon still failed to understand what Niki's sister was getting at, "How has her reputation been soiled?"

"It's obvious you two have been having sexual intercourse before marriage. She is what the good Christians at our church call a wanton woman."

Penny put her fork down and defended Niki, "Hey, watch what you're saying there. That's my friend!"

Janine stared at Penny and made a nasty comment, "By the looks of you, I can imagine you have committed your own share of carnal sins."

Penny smiled at the memories and answered sharply, "Damn straight I have!"

Janine shook her head sadly, "I have the feeling that many of you will be spending eternity in the Lake of Fire."

Sheldon decided it was time to talk German with Niki, turned to her, and said in a hushed voice, "Ihre Schwester ist verrückt ." ( _Your sister is crazy._ )

Niki nodded and rolled her eyes, "Ich kenne." ( _I know._ )

Sheldon added, "Sie ist hässlich, zu." _(And ugly, too.)_

"Sheldon, sei nett." ( _Sheldon, be nice._ )

Audrey joined in the conversation and advised her elder daughter, "Janine, watch your tongue."

She put her nose in the air and sniffed, "Mother, you know I speak the truth."

Mary had heard enough and decided to speak, "I don't mean to interrupt or nothing, but with all of the evil in this world, I don't think He is going to worry too much over a little hanky panky between couples that love each other. Especially when they're engaged!"

Janine's husband addressed Mary, "I don't know who you are, but just look at these women. They are dressed to do nothing but inspire a man's sinful lust."

Penny blushed and replied modestly, "Well, I try my best."

Leonard laughed out loud and thought to himself, _Bravo_ , _Penny!_

Niki's sister took a stance of moral righteousness, "Young woman, I do believe you are a negative influence on my sister."

Niki could take no more and snapped at her sister, "Oh give it up, Janine! I was corrupted long before I met Penny."

Janine huffed, "Oh don't I know that! What do you do for a living Penny? Or do you even work?"

Sheldon quickly defended their friend, "Penny is both a fine and successful actress."

"Oh, I see. An actress. That is just another name for a whore."

Penny took offense to that and challenged Janine, "Excuse me? I'm a married woman! I am not a whore!"

Niki advised her, 'Quit while you're ahead, Penny."

Leonard had heard enough and attempted to be the voice of reason, "Hey, can we get back to idle chit chat? Look, Janine, discussing my wife's bad influence on the wife of my best friend is not what I call appropriate dinner conversation."

She answered him tartly, "Sir, I can't recall your name, but I must make the point that you all should repent of your sins. Do you know the Lord? I'm merely trying to save you and your wife from eternal damnation!"

Leonard shook his head, not quite believing what the woman had just said, "Say what?"

Sheldon whispered into Niki's ear, "Halten sie weg von mir." ( _Keep her away from me._ )

Niki nodded and muttered under her breath, "Und alle anderen, auch." ( _And everyone else, also._ )

Carl began to postulate, "My wife and I believe that sexual intercourse should be saved for marriage and then only for the sake of procreation. Look it up, it's right there in The Good Book. Mating for mere lust is a grievous sin that God will not ignore."

Sheldon shook his head and told Niki, "Ihr Mann ist ein Idiot." ( _Her husband is an idiot._ )

Niki nodded an affirmation, "Erzähl mir davon." ( _Tell me about it._ )

Audrey tried to steer the conversation in a different direction, "Niki, did I tell you that Janine and Carl are thinking of buying a place near here to live year round?"

Sheldon turned to Niki, eyes wide and exclaimed, "Lieber Herr!" ( _Good Lord!_ )

Niki answered that with a heartfelt, "Scheisse!" ( _Shit!_ ) She then smiled wanly at her mother and said, "No, Mom, you didn't."

Janine put her hand up and corrected her mother, "Oh, Carl and I have changed our minds about that Mother. We can't sell our Big Bear home for what it's worth in this economy. We'll just come down here from time to time in the winter."

Sheldon's eyes looked up at Heaven and he quietly offered his own version of a prayer of thanks, "Danke Gott. " ( _Thank God!_ )

Missy decided to join the fiasco, "Chuck and I were thinking of doing that, but we decided we didn't want to uproot the kids."

Sheldon repeated himself, "Danke Gott."

Chuck added in a big, booming voice, "Yeah, besides, L.A. is no place for a cowboy to be hangin' his hat."

Bernie was intrigued, "You're a cowboy?"

Sheldon gave him a derisive look and told Bernie, "The only horse he has ever ridden took quarters."

Missy asked Niki, "Would you two ever think of moving to Texas?"

"I don't think so, our business is here."

George spoke up and said, "Hell, Shelly ain't got the cajones to move to Texas, that's Real Man land."

Niki glared at him and snarled, "Then why do you live there?" That seemed to quiet him for the moment.

Janine decided she wasn't through, "Texas might be good for you both. Nikita, you could meet a better quality of friends." She stared straight at Penny.

Niki had had enough, she confronted her sister, "Penny has done more for me than you have ever done. Where were you when Paul died? Off in the corner making snide remarks, that's where!"

Janine rolled her eyes and in a voice dripping with condescension she said, "He was a serial cheater, Nikita. Why you took up with a man like that is beyond me. Perhaps it was his money. Was it?"

Niki stared her sister in the eyes and spat out, "I loved him and I was devastated when he died! It took me over two years to get over his death! And you and Carl were nowhere to be found during that time."

Her sister busied herself with something on her plate and answered, "Well you were a bit of a drunk at the time, my dear. We thought it best to distance ourselves."

Niki refused to back down, "Apparently, so did a lot of other people. Thank God for Raj, who helped me through some of that. And Sheldon, who helped heal my heart. And Penny and Bernie and all the rest of you who have showed me what true friends are like. These people are my true family. So you can go to fuckin' Hell!"

Janine was unmoved by her sister's outburst, "Ah, Niki, still the hothead. Have you ever thought that it's only a matter of time before this one cheats on you?" She pointed at Sheldon," He obviously has no respect for you. Copulation before marriage is a sure sign of a man's disrespect."

Sheldon finally exploded, "Oh good god, woman! Will you please put a lid on it! Have you ever heard the saying, 'Go fuck yourself'?"

Janine huffed in indignation, "Well, I never!"

"Perhaps you should. Your atrocious manners and attitude might improve."

George chimed in, "Hey, Shelly. You're a fine one to talk. What were you, about thirty five before you ever got laid?"

Sheldon turned and addressed his brother, "That is far superior to having a rap sheet that's five pages long by that age."

George was not about to stop, "Hey, you must be mad. I never heard your precious mouth say 'fuck' before."

Howard grinned at his friend, "Neither have any of us. Congratulations, Sheldon."

Niki poked Sheldon in the ribs and whispered, "Ihr Bruder immer angenehm gewesen?" (Has your brother ever been pleasant?) He shook his head and stared at George, "Nein." ( _No._ ) Sheldon decided on his own to put an end to the madness. "George, I do believe the time has come for us to serve desert. So if everyone would kindly pause their acidic rhetoric for the time being, we can all have some pie and strudel that Ms. Georgia has kindly baked for us." Sheldon looked at Georgia and gave her a warm smile. Desert was soon served and eaten and all the relatives were encouraged to take their leave. Sheldon hugged his mother and told her, "I love you, Mother. But next time leave George and Chuck at home." "I hear you, Shellybean. I'll call you and Niki tomorrow." Niki hugged her mother and her brother, whom she truly loved and told them she hoped they had enjoyed themselves. Her mother returned the hug and told her, "Honey, I'll call you tomorrow and maybe we'll do some Black Friday shopping, without your sister." Niki knew her mother felt bad about how things had gone during dinner, so she told her, "Sounds good, Mom. Call me." Suddenly Penny came up to Niki and pulled her aside. "Don't let Mary and Alfred leave just yet." "Why not?" Niki asked her. Penny looked over the bathroom, "It's George. He's a bit high at the moment." Niki shrugged and told her, "Oh, he's probably just drunk. "

Penny looked back towards the bathroom door and then at her friend, "He hasn't been drinking, Niki. If I'm not mistaken, he's been snorting a few lines out in his mother's car."

"Damn! Okay, who gets to tell Sheldon? He's going to lose it completely. You know how he is; he thinks coffee is a gateway drug."

Penny thought a moment then answered her question, "I think we should tell Mary and Alfred first. He _is_ her son and they should know there are drugs in their car before they begin the drive home."

"Right as usual, girlfriend. Okay, who tells them?"

Penny told her, "Well, you're almost Mary's daughter-in-law."

Niki countered that with, "But you are already Alfred's daughter-in-law."

The stalemate was broken when they heard Sheldon screaming at his brother from the bathroom, "Get out of my home and don't you ever, EVER, darken my doorstep again!"

Mary went over to him and asked, "What's the matter Shelly? What has your brother done now?"

"Cocaine. In my bathroom!"

Penny added, "And I think I saw him doing some out in your car, Mary."

A determined, but resigned look came over Mary's face, "Okay, that's it. Alfred, we're taking the boy back to the Pasadena Police Station. He's done broken his parole and he belongs back in jail."

Alfred looked around the room, "Where is he?"

Amanda told them, "Oh, he ran out to your car when Sheldon caught him in the bathroom cutting lines."

Alfred sighed and looked for his car keys, "Well, we'll just have to play innocent until we can get him to the police. No sense having him runnin' loose in Altadena."

Mary hugged her son, "Shelly, Niki, I'll call you tomorrow. Your mom asked me if I'd like to do some damage with you two at the mall tomorrow. That sounds like fun. You got a nice momma, Niki."

Niki gave Mary a hug, also, "I know, Mary. And Sheldon has a nice mom, too. We'll have lots of fun tomorrow and you can fill me in on what happens with George."

After their families had left, Sheldon and Niki sat with all of their friends and reviewed the day.

Leonard laughed and said, "Well, you two have interesting families. And not that linguistic, either. Did any of them catch on to you guys speaking German to each other?"

Niki shook her head and told him, "I think they all thought we were talking some scientific language, like Latin, or something to each other. Funny that they never asked, but we both knew they wouldn't. Neither Sheldon's nor my siblings and their respective spouses wanted to look like they were stupid by asking what we were saying."

Penny added, "They did a pretty good job of looking stupid all on their own. They didn't need you guys to help them any."

"Penny, I always say you can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family. Now, don't get me wrong, I adore my mother and my brother, but my sister and her husband? Hell no!"

Sheldon put his arm around Niki and said, "I love my mother, also. I can tolerate my sister, but her husband and my brother are complete imbeciles."

Niki put her head on his shoulder and looked up at him lovingly, "What do you say we forget about them and just enjoy being among our friends?"

Amanda responded happily, "Sounds real good to me. Tell me, what are all of you thankful for?"

Leonard spoke first, "I'm thankful for Penny and all of you."

Penny went next, "I'm thankful for Leonard and that my family didn't show up today, oh, and all of you guys, too."

Howard said, "I'm thankful for my beautiful wife and daughter." He beamed at both of them seated next to him, "And all of my wonderful friends."

Bernie added, "I'm thankful for my little family and all of my friends. My job, too."

Raj spoke next, "I'm thankful for living in this country, my beautiful girlfriend, and turkey dinners with friends."

Amanda laughed and added, "I'm thankful I am here today with all of you, and that I met Raj Koothrappali. I really don't have any family living around here, so thank you for inviting me to come with you, Raj."

Stuart said, "I'm thankful for Georgia, you guys, and that _my_ family wasn't here today."

Georgia went next, "I'm thankful I have a good son, a good man like Stuart, and good friends like all of you."

Penny asked Niki, "What are you thankful for?"

"Tylenol."

Everyone laughed and then Bernie asked Sheldon the same question.

"I am most thankful that my siblings live in Texas."

Niki kissed him and added, "I think it goes without saying that Sheldon and I are very thankful we have wonderful friends like you people."

Sheldon returned her kiss, looked around the living room, and said, "Happy Thanksgiving everyone!"

 **I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that their Christmas guest list will be much shorter. What do you think?**


	45. Chapter 45

Chapter 45: It Pays to Advertise

 **Sheldon is interviewed on NPR, with interesting results, while Niki is inspired by a disc. (In this chapter, I take a few liberties with Podkletnov's theory and experiments with gravity nullification. As I don't own this theory, he does, I tweaked it a bit to make it sort of Niki's idea. If you aren't a physicist or have a working knowledge of physics, you probably won't even notice. To Dr. Podkletnov, you own it, I don't.)**

It was a typical Wednesday afternoon about a week after Thanksgiving and Niki's attention was focused on her computer screen when she heard Sheldon's knock on their interoffice door.

"Come in, Sheldon."

He opened the door and seemed to be focused on a sheet of paper he held in his hand. "Niki, I've received a most interesting invitation."

She looked up from her work, "Okay, I'll bite, what is it?"

He pulled up a chair and sat next to her, "NPR has invited me to be a guest speaker on their evening show, Sunday Science, this week. They want to interview me and discuss this facility and the current research we are doing here."

Niki began to get excited, "Hey, that sounds like free advertising for us. Go for it!"

Sheldon looked at her and explained further, "It would mean I would be in my office for the better part of Saturday and Sunday preparing for this interview. I know we were supposed to go out to dinner with Leonard and Penny on Saturday evening and have my mother over on Sunday for brunch."

Niki gave him an encouraging smile, "That's easy to accommodate, Sheldon. I'll reschedule with the Hofstadters and your mother and I can go to brunch without you. You can't turn this down; it's a golden opportunity for you to keep your name in front of important people in the science world. I wonder how they got wind of us moving here."

"Maybe some of our connections leaked the news. Most likely someone from Binary."

Niki nodded solemnly, "That sounds about right. Well, the best thing we can do is take advantage of the opportunity. Go for it, Sheldon."

Sheldon looked upset, "We won't see much of each other this weekend."

Niki reached up and rumpled his hair, "It's only a couple of days, Sheldon. Besides, I can check in on you from time to time and bring you some of my latest research. I'll ask Raj and Leonard to give you theirs, also. You are so going to rock this thing!"

He kissed her on her nose, "You are being very supportive of this situation, Niki. Thank you."

She told him, "Hey, when Paul was involved in a big trial I sometimes wouldn't really see him for weeks at a time. This is nothing. You're an accomplished scientist, it goes with the territory. Don't worry about me, okay?"

Sheldon put his arm around her gently, "I'm not worried about you, I'm worried about me. I will miss being with you."

Niki gave a little chuckle and lay her head on his shoulder, "Sheldon, just call me if you need me. I'll either be at the house or at the Hofstadters. Oh, except for Sunday brunch with your mother, but I'll keep it local, okay?"

"I love you, Dr. Horner."

Niki made motions to turn off her computer, "Likewise, Dr. Cooper. Now, seeing as how private time may be a bit hard to come by this weekend, what do you say I save my page right now and we wander on over to the house for a bit."

Sheldon ran his hand up her leg, "Or we could stay right here."

"What a naughty, naughty, boy you are, Sheldon Cooper. I love it! I sure am glad we put a futon in this office."

He agreed with her, "Yes, our desks got somewhat uncomfortable after a bit."

She walked over to the door of her office, "Now we can lock the doors and take our time."

Sheldon got up and walked over to the adjoining door, "You read my mind. Now, what do you say I get this one locked and we make ourselves more comfortable?"

Niki finished locking the door and began to remove her jeans, "No sooner said than done, my dear Doctor."

The weekend came and Niki kept herself busy with her friends. On Saturday evening she went over to the Hofstadter's while Sheldon was locked in his office putting together his interview data.

She knocked on the back door and Leonard answered it, "Hey, Niki. Penny's in the bedroom. I'll leave you two to visit for awhile. Raj invited me to go to the comic book store with him so we're going over there to visit Stuart."

Niki entered the bedroom and found Penny spread out across the bed. Her friend looked up as Niki entered the room and she greeted her with, "I think I'm going to have to stay in a hotel part of the week while I'm in this play. The drive is knocking me out. The play was over at six thirty and I didn't get home until eight. That's crazy!"

Nikii sat on the bed next to her, "What does Leonard have to say about that?"

Penny sat up and said, "He's cool with it. This play is done in February. The only problem is it's going on the road and they want me to join the road company. I've flat out told them I won't do it. I'm trying to get pregnant and being gone for three months is not going to make that easy."

Niki agreed with her, "I think you were right to turn them down. There will always be another play, but there's only one Leonard."

"I'm glad you understand. No one else in the cast does."

"Will that hurt you finding other jobs?" Niki asked.

The pretty blonde shook her and responded, "Nah. It will just keep them from asking me to go on tours and I'm cool with that. So how's Sheldon? Still upstairs?"

Niki's eyes traveled up towards the ceiling, "Uh huh. He really wants to nail this interview. We all gave him our research notes yesterday. Today, he only came down for lunch. I'll make his some dinner later. He should be done by midnight or so."

Penny decided to change the subject, "Are you getting excited about the wedding?"

Niki's face broke out in a huge smile, "Of course! Oh, I meant to ask you, I want to go shopping for a wedding dress next week. What days are you dark?"

"Monday and Tuesday. Why?"

Niki drummed her fingers on her knee, "I was thinking of taking all you girls with me to go dress shopping, but I guess that can't happen."

Penny's face brightened as she had thought of the perfect solution to this problem, "Nik, if we shopped for bridesmaid's dresses at the same time, they would give me Sunday off and use the understudy. That would work, I'm your Matron of Honor and I have to be there to look at dresses. Do you know what kind of dress you're looking for?

Niki stared into space, as if her dress were hanging in front of her, "I know exactly what I'm looking for. I want something simple, like a slip dress. Floor length and ombre, with the bottom a deep blue and fading up to white at the top. I want to look like the ocean. Sheldon loves the idea. He told me Amy's dress was full of lace, ribbons, and tulle. Not my style. I like simple and elegant, maybe even a bit sexy."

Penny grinned, "Well, Amy's dress was gorgeous, but it was a bit much for a backyard wedding. Still, she looked like a princess in that dress."

"I don't want to look like a princess, I'd love to look classy, yet sexy. Simple, yet beautiful."

Penny thought for a second and then agreed with her, "A slip dress fits that idea perfectly."

Niki stood up and walked towards the door, "Oh, I think I hear Sheldon coming downstairs. Let me check on him, okay?"

"Sure."

She came back and told Penny, "He wants to take a break for dinner and then he's going back to work. I'll talk to you later, okay?"

Penny walked her to the door, "Okay. What's on your agenda for tomorrow?"

"Brunch with Mary and then getting home in time to listen to Sheldon's interview. It ought to be good; he's putting a lot of effort into the preparations. Maybe we can all meet here and listen together."

Penny was starting to get excited, "That's a good idea. I'll call the girls and they can talk to the guys. I'll call you later and let you know what they said."

"That sounds perfect. Gotta go. Talk to you later."

Niki met Sheldon at the bottom of be the stairs. He seemed a bit startled to see her. "Are you still here? You must have been visiting with Penny."

Niki nodded and slipped her arm through his, "Yeah. How's the prep going for tomorrow?"

He filled her in, "Fairly well. I should be able to wrap it up tonight after dinner. I must commend you and Raj. Your notes were to the point, excellently organized, and easy to read. I didn't think I could prepare as quickly as I have, but the hard work put in by the both of you has made this a much easier process."

Over dinner, they talked about the next day, the wedding, and life in general. It never failed to surprise both of them that they conversed so easily about just about anything. Sheldon never felt ill at ease around Niki and she, in turn, trusted him completely. The longer they knew each other, the more certain they were of how successful their marriage would be.

Sheldon returned to his office and Niki stayed home, nervous about the next day and Sheldon's interview. How would he explain their new facility and leaving Cal Tech.? In return for the release of all of their research, they had signed a form stating they would say nothing negative or slanderous about the school. Sheldon could be painfully blunt and honest and she hoped and prayed that he remembered their agreement with the school and kept his talk civil.

She got up and loaded the dishwasher and then made a phone call to Mary. Mary's phone rang a few times before she answered it, _Hello?_

 _Mary, this is Niki. I wanted to know what time to pick you up tomorrow for brunch?_

 _Are we stayin' local? I wouldn't want to miss hearing Shelly on the radio._

 _No, it will be local. We're going to Russell's on Fair Oaks._

 _Oh, that place is nice. Okay, come pick me up at about 11._

 _Okay. We want to get back early so I can be here when everyone comes over to hear Sheldon._

 _Honey, I'm so proud of that boy I could just burst._

 _We all are Mary. He's done some amazing things, hasn't he?_

 _He's had a little help from you lately. He ain't the only one with brains, I can tell that._

 _Thank you, Mary. But this is his time to shine, not mine. So, I'll see you at eleven._

 _Okay. Goodbye, honey._

 _Goodbye, Mary._

Then next morning, Niki picked Mary up for brunch at precisely eleven a.m., in spite of her fatigue. Sheldon had kept her up the better part of the night talking in his sleep. If this was how he was prior to a simple radio broadcast, what would he be like if he won that darn Nobel? There would be no living with him. She sighed and parked her car and waited. Soon, Mary exited the building and joined Niki in the car.

She looked at Niki with concern, "Hey, darling. What's the matter? You don't look as spritely as you might."

Nik i waved off her concern and tried to smile, "I'm just tired. Sheldon kept me up all night."

Mary pretended to be interested in something outside her passenger window, "Now, Honey, you know my feelings on that already. So I'll just keep my mouth shut."

Niki gave a small laugh and explained, "It wasn't that, Mary. Sheldon is so nervous about this radio thing he was talking in his sleep the whole night!"

Mary looked at her once again, "Oh, I didn't know that. Is he okay?"

"I think so. He had breakfast and headed back to his office. We most likely won't see him until after the show."

Mary nodded and asked Niki, "What time is that thing?"

She answered her quickly, "Eight this evening. Everyone is coming over to listen to it with us. You're staying, right?"

"Wild horses couldn't drive me away, Honey. I'm right proud to be his momma. Of course, you understand why. You met George."

Niki chuckled under her breath, "Yeah. How is George? Sheldon won't talk about him at all."

Mary began to speak as though she needed to get it off her chest, "He's as fine as someone who broke parole can be. He finally got over being mad at me for turning him in. Of course, he needed money at the time, so being mad at me wasn't in his best interest."

"How long is he in for now?"

Mary thought a moment and replied, "Oh, he'll be out in around six months. The prisons are real crowded in Texas. But that's not your problem, is it?"

Niki parked the car and turned off the engine, "No. Here we are, Mary. Let's go inside and have us a great brunch."

Mary opened her door, "I hear ya. Niki?"

"Yes?"

Mary asked in an almost cautionary voice, as if she didn't want to appear too ignorant, "Do you know what Sheldon will be talkin' about on that show?"

Niki looked at Sheldon's mother and gave her a warm smile, "Remember when I told you that we were studying possible time and space travel using black holes?"

Mary's face brightened and she said, "Oh, of course. Seein' if God was on the other side of those black hole things. Yep, I remember."

Niki let the hostess lead them to their table, "Thank you very much." She then addressed Mary, "Well, Sheldon will be interviewed about the research we are doing in that area. This could really put our new place on the map."

Mary picked up her menu and studied it, then placed it on the table and told Niki, "I hope it does good things for all of you. Now, on to other things. Have you picked a wedding dress yet?"

Niki shook her head and gave Mary an exasperated look, "Not yet. What we have so far is the venue, the invitations, and the dinner menu. After the New Year, we'll work hard on the rest. I have picked out my bridesmaids and my Matron of Honor, but we've got to go shopping for dresses for them, and for me if I want to be honest. Getting married is such a hassle when you're trying to break new ground in science at the same time."

Mary looked straight at her with a serious look on her face, "Do you love my boy?"

Niki picked up her water glass, took a sip and answered, "To the furthest star and back. There must be another word for what I feel for him, but I can't think of it offhand."

Mary took a guess, "Adore?"

Niki shook her head, put her water down, and began to explain to Mary what she meant, "No. Adore means you put a person up on some kind of pedestal. That I don't do. I love Sheldon, but I see him as a person with flaws, just like the rest of us. Maybe I love him so much because of those flaws. The way he is so dedicated to science, even more than to me. The way he is so confident he is right about everything. Well, most of the time, he _is_. I love his childlike side because I have one, too. I also love how most of the time I have to convince him to try new things with me, that keeps my mind sharp. Sheldon is Sheldon and I wouldn't have him any other way."

Mary leaned forward, a gleam in her eyes, "Niki, girl?"

"Yes?"

She patted Niki's hand across the table, "I am very glad you two are getting' hitched. Because he's said almost the same things about you, honey."

Niki grinned at Mary,"That's good to know. Now, shall we eat?

Everyone was gathered downstairs in Howard and Leonard's laser lab, preparing themselves to listen to Sheldon's presentation on the radio. They had ordered pizza delivered as well as brought their own chips and dip. Everyone there had grabbed a soda from the refrigerator in the room, so they were fairly set for food and drinks for the time being.

Penny looked around the room and asked Niki, "What's that round thing sitting there on that table?"

Niki looked where she pointed, "Oh, that's a ceramic disc Leonard uses as a superconductor. A scientist named Podkletnov found that if you put that thing above really strong electromagnets, things above that disc will lose about two percent of their weight. Kind of like gravity released some of its hold on them. It hasn't been used practically yet, but using the magnets and the disc, I suppose it would be possible to nullify gravity to some…HOLY SHIT! That's it! Raj, when Sheldon is done I want to see both of you in my office. We've got some theories to investigate."

Raj nodded and thought a moment. "I understand nullifying gravity, but how does that tie in to what we're doing here?

Niki told him in a hurried voice, "I'll tell you later, in my office. Sheldon's almost ready to speak, so let's all listen. Raj, I can see by the look on your face you beginning to see where I'm going with this. After the radio show is over, I want you to make sure Sheldon gets to my office as soon as he is finished. Penny, I'm going to be super busy for a few days. We'll dress shop in a couple of weeks. Sorry."

Amanda asked Raj, "Does this have anything to do with what you guys have been researching the past year?"

He nodded, "Yep. And I think Niki has started to solve the problem we've been stuck on."

Niki silenced them, "Shhh! The program is about to start."

Suddenly, the radio came to life and the host announced,

 _Good evening, everyone. This is your host, Dr. Ira Agron and this evening I'm going to be talking with Dr. Sheldon Cooper. Dr. Cooper was employed for many years as the lead theoretical physicist at Cal Tech where he was the author of the university's six major loop quantum gravity calculations. This fall, Dr. Cooper left that institution and starting his own research facility. Dr. Cooper has also been the author of several studies on bosonic string theory and heterotic string theory. He has also successfully published, along with Dr. Leonard Hofstadter, a study of space time existing as a superfluid . So without further ado, ladies and gentlemen, Dr. Sheldon Cooper._

 _Good evening, Dr. Cooper._

 _Good evening, Ira._

 _Now, you have recently moved to your own research facility. Can you tell me the name of your institute and the reasoning behind that move?_

 _Well Ira, as you know, most research done at universities is funded by grants, or as we call it, 'soft money'. Now, by its very nature, your research can only go as far as your grant money. Universities do have to show some profit, after all. Also, your area of research is restricted by what the grant money was to be used towards. Let's just say I began to find that a bit like being hobbled. My mind wanted to go in so many directions, but the money told me 'stick to this'. So, I partnered up with Dr. Hofstadter and a few of my other colleagues from Cal Teach and we all went in on this venture. We have given it the name Pentagram Research Facility because_ , _well, there are five partners in this endeavor._

 _Cal Tech released you all and let you take your research with you?_

 _Yes, they were quite generous and accommodating._

 _So, you are all on good terms with Cal Tech?_

 _None of us has anything negative to say about the school. We left on good terms._

 _Correct me if I am mistaken, but isn't one of you colleagues, Dr. Nikita Horner, also your fiancé?_

 _I'm not sure what that has to do with the research we are currently doing, but yes, we have plans to be married in April._

 _So your having an intimate relationship with her was not the basis for hiring her for your facility?_

 _Dear Lord! I want this facility to succeed. I wanted only the best and the brightest working with me and Dr. Horner is one of those people. Of course, we mustn't forget Drs. Hofstadter and Koothrappali and Mr. Wolowitz. Brilliant men, all of them. I see good things coming from all of us._

 _So your personal relationship with Dr. Horner did not prevent you from having her work for you._

 _I must correct you here. Dr. Horner does not work for me, she works with me. She is an equal partner in this business._

 _You financed this endeavor equally?_

 _Very much so, Ira._

 _Still, being intimately involved with someone can skew our perceptions quite a bit._

 _You obviously don't know me well, Ira. My main focus here, I suppose you can say, will always be on scientific discovery._

 _So you and Dr. Horner work closely together?_

 _She, along with Dr. Rajesh Koothrappali, is one of my research partners. We do work very closely together. Dr. Horner is an invaluable researcher for our institution. She is extremely knowledgeable in both stellar astrophysics and theoretical physics. She lives for discovery. One of my favorite quotes from her is this: 'That moment when all your research comes together and gels in your mind is akin to an intellectual orgasm.' Quite profound, don't you think?_

 _And a little sexy as well._

 _Are you insinuating we are starting to make science sexy? Dr. Horner would love that._

 _Dr. Horner? She is your fiancée. You can call her Nikita if you like._

 _It's too easy to slip into casual proper noun usage when addressing the work of women scientists close to you. When I am discussing her work in the scientific field, I have always and will always refer to her as Dr. Horner. Do we drop the title Dr. when discussing male scientists? Of course not. And no one expects us to. I hold female scientists to the same standard of respect as I do the males. When speaking of her research, she is Dr. Horner to me, and I would hope for the rest of the scientific community, also._

Niki smiled with pride and said, "That was so good, Cooper!"

Leonard grinned and told her, "He handled that one well."

Amanda simulated talking to the radio, "Well done, Sheldon!" She then turned to Niki and told her, "You've got yourself a winner there, girl."

The broadcast continued:

 _So, Dr. Cooper, let's talk about your current research. What are you currently up to?_

 _Well, Ira, it seems you are familiar with my work I have done with Dr. Hofstadter on space time. Drs._ _Horner, Koothrapalli, and I are building on that premise while studying possible gravitational morphing around black holes. This research was running out of money at the university, so we are now studying it independently at our facility in Altadena. You can take the idea of space time as a superfluid, and using Einstein's Space Time Continuum, apply it to different theories and areas. At the present moment we are researching whether there is the possible ability of morphing the space time grid around black holes._

 _And this would lead to?_

 _Discovery. Ira, have you ever wondered if we can alter the gravitational pressure at the Event Horizon long enough to allow access to whatever is on the other side._

 _I believe that has been looked at with wormholes._

 _With one big difference. We are attempting to take that one step further. Just think, as of now, if we could travel along a wormhole to a new dimension, we would most likely be crushed by gravitational forces along the way as the wormhole collapses. Am I correct?_

 _Yes, so far._

 _But what if we could negate that force? Would that make travel to another dimension feasible? We are trying to find out by our study._

 _And how are you calculating this?_

 _I can't tell you too much right this moment. I will say we are getting closer to reaching a conclusion every day. All of our staff has devoted themselves to this research, sometimes working late into the evening. When we have something concrete to report, I will send you a copy of the paper._

 _Very well, Dr. Cooper. I see you are playing your cards very close to your chest. I, and everyone else in the science community, are all looking forward to reading your paper when it comes out. For now, thank you for your time Dr. Cooper. And I wish you good night._

 _You're welcome, Ira. And a good night to you, also_.

 _This is Ira Agron signing off from Sunday Science. Good night and may you all have a wonderful week._

Niki grabbed her things and hurried to her office. "Raj, if I don't see him first, bring Sheldon to my office asap!"

"Will do. Do you want me to tell him what's going on?

Niki called back to him over her shoulder, "Just bring him to my office. Tell him I need to talk to him about something important."

When Raj and Sheldon reached her office, Niki was deeply focused on her computer screen and whiteboard, continually moving from one to the other. She suddenly looked up at the two men and smiled. "That radio interview was fantastic, Cooper! I loved every single word of it! We should make you our official spokesperson."

Sheldon came over to her and kissed her on the top of her head, "Thank you, Dr. Horner. Now, what did you want to see me about?"

She went over to her white board and pointed to her calculations written there, "Okay, I may have discovered the solution to the biggest problem we have, the crushing power of gravity."

Sheldon looked skeptical, "Have you managed a way to get around that problem? I would love to know how we are going to do that."

Niki moved from her white board and stood in front of the two men and began to explain her idea, "Picture this, you guys: We know that two black holes colliding in another universe would send strong gravitational waves through that universe. Now, let's just say these black holes had enough mass to send out very strong waves into that universe, waves that were strong enough to cut through the event horizon on that side and manage to come through to ours. Okay, let's reverse that process. Two extremely large black holes ram each other like bumper cars on this side and cut through the event horizon and emerge to a theoretical 'other side'. Say that happens, but with humans out in space. We would still be left with the perplexing problem of gravitational pressure. The problem we have been dealing with is this; how would we be able to survive that journey? As far as we know now, we couldn't. Could we use teleportation to break ourselves up into small enough pieces that would be able to fit through a wormhole? Yes, but can we do that without being crushed how could we give ourselves the correct speed that would enable us to travel fast enough to be able to pass through before the wormhole collapsed? Bit problems, huh? Now, breaking ourselves up is a little farfetched, but I'm going to file that under 'maybe'. However, we could try something a little larger than disassembled human molecules. But how could we do this? Say we could send some form of space ship up to ride those waves into the black hole and along the path of the wormhole. That sounds great, but there is every chance the ship would get crushed, right? In fact, it's guaranteed. So how do we solve that little problem? Gentlemen, consider this: You are all familiar with Podkletnov's work, am I correct?"

They both nodded.

"Great. Now, remember that superconductor disc in Leonard and Raj's laser lab? Let's just say if that ceramic disc has the ability to shield or to create antigravity pulses, as Podkletnov's latest research seems to indicate, that means it must have the similar ability to manipulate the velocity of light itself, which I have been working with for some time now. So, if we can change the weight and velocity of objects other than light, we'd really have something. Changing the weight and velocity of an object heading towards the event horizon to those of light could, in theory, make time travel through worm holes a more real possibility. Using Podkletnov's theory of gravity nullification, maybe we could solve that bitch. If the gravity in wormhole and black hole are blocked, then no crushed ship."

Sheldon's mouth dropped open, "You may be on to something, Niki."

Raj, "All that time spent studying black holes and light wavelengths seems to have paid off."

Niki looked at the Leonard and confessed, "I have to give credit where credit is due. If Penny hadn't asked what that superconductor on your desk in the laser lab was, I would never have thought of this, or I at least wouldn't have thought of it so quickly."

Raj asked her, "So what's next?"

She began to get excited, "We get Sheldon to do the math, he's so much better at that than I am. Raj, you and I come up with a working experiment for Leonard so he can verify our thesis."

Raj was curious about the next step and asked her, "Then?"

She grinned broadly, "If everything checks out, we write it up and send it out for peer review. If that comes back positive, we publish it."

Sheldon finally spoke, "Let's get on that first thing in the morning. We want this thing published by February at the latest."

Raj asked him, "Why February? What's the rush?

Sheldon answered his question, "Two reasons. One, we have to be published by February to be considered for a Nobel in Physics. This is worth that. Niki has come up with a theory that is both groundbreaking and Nobel worthy. Two, we don't want anyone to copy our work. Let's get this done and publish it."

Niki asked them, "Who should we use for peer reviews?"

Sheldon looked at Raj and said, "I would say as a full professor at UCLA, Amanda is qualified. Do either of you have any other ideas?"

Niki spoke up, "I know a couple of guys up at Mt. Wilson who will be glad to do it."

Raj's face brightened and he asked them, "How about a professor of mine at Oxford?"

Sheldon beamed, "Perfect! Niki, can you and Raj have a working outline for an experiment to give to Leonard by the end of the week?"

"I don't think that will be a problem, do you, Raj?"

He shook his head, "No problem. We can get to work on that tomorrow."

Sheldon smiled at both of them, "Good. Now, I think we should rejoin our friends."

After Raj left, Sheldon took Niki in his arms, "You know, for a female scientist, you did okay today."

Niki caught the joke and laughed, "Well, working with you gave me great inspiration."

Sheldon admitted to her, "I had very little to do with the development of your theory."

She removed his tie and ran her hand through his hair, "I wasn't talking about my theory. I'm still a woman, remember?"

Sheldon nibbled her ear and told her, "How could I ever forget? But can we put this on hold until later tonight? Our friends and my mother are downstairs waiting for us."

She released him and reluctantly backed away, "I know, but let's cut it a bit short. Raj and Amanda can take your mother home and then we can celebrate all of this…alone."

Sheldon gave her a deep, long, kiss and then replied, "Agreed. Now, down to join the troops."

 **It looks like our friends have their work cut out for them. Will Leonard be able to give them empirical proof that Niki's theory is viable? Will the peer reviews come back positive? Will Sheldon be able to work out the math? And will they be able to do all of this with Christmas coming? I guess we'll have to see, won't we?**


	46. Chapter 46

Chapter 46: Christmas Shopping

 **Let's follow the guys and the gals as they do some Christmas shopping. Or: What to get when you haven't got a clue. This chapter was written mainly because I was in a mood for some fun.**

By the end of the first week in December, Sheldon had worked out the math for Niki's theory and she and Raj and figured out how Leonard could prove their hypothesis in an experiment. Niki and Raj had realized that if a ship was designed as a mobile semiconductor and the interior contained large electromagnets, theoretically, the force of gravity in the wormhole would be either greatly reduced or eliminated altogether. Leonard designed a tube with great gravitational pressure on its inside and with the help of Raj and Niki, a crude space ship was designed which met the semiconductor/electromagnet specifications. The experiment was a success and the ship launched through the tube managed to negate a large percentage of the gravitational force surrounding it.

Leonard wrote up a paper detailing this experiment and it was attached to Sheldon, Niki, and Raj's paper. As only three of them could be nominated for a Nobel, Leonard let Raj and Niki attach their names to the empirical evidence. As Leonard was ready to publish a paper in the next year that he deemed very likely to be nominated for a Nobel as well, letting the other two scientists put their name to this experiment, which in all honesty they had designed, was no big deal to him. So, the papers were sent out for peer review the second week in December. To pass the time until they heard back from their reviewers, the guys decided to go Christmas shopping for their ladies. It was on a crisp, clear, Friday afternoon that the guys took off work and headed to the Westfield Mall in Arcadia.

 **Boyz in the Mall**

Once in the mall, Howard asked his friends, "What do you guys have planned?"

Leonard stopped walking and asked him, "What do you mean?"

"What gift are you thinking of getting your lady that will rock her world and lead to her rocking yours?"

Leonard resumed walking and replied, "Oh, I'm getting Penny a charm bracelet with a charm for each play she's been in, or will be in. I can always add to it and I will know what to get her for future birthdays and Christmases."

Howard was pleased with that plan, "Smart move. I love it!"

Sheldon had a question, "Leonard? What type of charm would there be for Jocasta? A rope for hanging? A pair of impaled eyes? "

"I'm still working on that one, Sheldon. Maybe just a lady in a Grecian robe."

Sheldon protested in a petulant voice, "But that could be any Greek play. Your plan may be a bit difficult to carry out." He then suggested, "How about nice pair of shoes? Penny loves shoes."

Leonard was beginning to get a bit annoyed with his friend, "Sheldon, she's not here to be fitted for a pair of shoes. No, I'll stick with the bracelet. Maybe I'll just have the first letter of each play put on the bracelet."

This time it was Raj who asked the question, "How would you do The Glass Menagerie? Would you use a T or a G?"

"Raj, maybe I'd use all three letters. Hey, I can always just use the initials of characters she's played."

Howard gave a chuckle, "I really wouldn't worry about that, Leonard. If the bracelet is gold or silver, Penny won't care what the charms are. What are you getting Amanda, Raj?"

"Two things. A gift set of her favorite perfume and a coupon promising to take her to every star party I possibly can in the L.A. area for the coming year."

Sheldon replied excitedly, "Oh, that's a wonderful gift, Raj. Could you get that for me? Minus the perfume, of course."

Raj shook his head and set his friend straight, "Dream on, Sheldon. What are you getting Niki? Something sane and practical?"

Sheldon looked around at all the store fronts in the mall and sighed, "I'm not sure yet. Most definitely not a purse or a pair of shoes. She has enough of both to outfit every woman in Altadena."

Leonard commiserated with him, "I hear ya, buddy. Hey, why don't you get her a nice piece of jewelry?"

"Niki doesn't wear much jewelry besides her engagement ring. But that is a good idea." Sheldon studied a mannequin in a store window, "Wait, I have my answer!"

Raj wanted to know what his odd friend thought was an appropriate Christmas gift for a lady, so he asked him, "What is it?"

"I'll show you all when we get to the jewelry store. Gentlemen, Howard, in case you haven't noticed, has failed to answer his own question. What are you planning on giving to Bernadette?"

Howard answered proudly, "I've already picked it out. She's getting a new vacuum cleaner. Our old one broke."

Leonard was completely perplexed and asked him, "What's special or romantic about a vacuum cleaner?"

"I'm having her name engraved on it. Neat, huh?"

Even Sheldon was having trouble wrapping his head around that choice and asked him, "Howard, do you enjoy coitus?"

Howard gave him a frustrated look, "Of course, Sheldon."

"Then do not give her that present, trust me."

Leonard nodded his head and said, "I never thought I'd be saying this, but I'm with Sheldon on this one."

Raj agreed with them both, "Me, too."

Sheldon made a suggestion, "Howard, why don't you accompany us to the jewelry store and we can help you pick out something much more appropriate for Bernadette."

"If you guys think the vacuum is a bad idea…"

Raj made his point, "Dude, we agreed with Sheldon on this. What does that tell you?"

Howard conceded defeat, "That I'd better follow you guys to the jewelry store."

 **Hangin' with the Homegirls**

Meanwhile, the ladies were doing their own shopping at Paseo Colorado, the largest and busiest mall in Pasadena.

Bernadette looked at her two friends and they ambled through the mall. "What are you guys thinking of getting for Leonard and Sheldon?"

Niki looked from left to right at store windows, "To start off, Sheldon could use a car; only having one vehicle between us is getting a little old. But they don't sell them in the mall. Besides, I want his input on what kind of car he would like."

Penny grinned at her, "Yeah, that would be like someone telling Leonard trying to buy me shoes."

"Right, like who would ever give him that suggestion without you there? Anyway, all the things I had in mind, well, I need Sheldon to be here to help pick them out."

Penny stopped walking and sat down on a bench, "What else were you thinking of getting him?"

Niki joined Penny on the bench and peered at the display in the window of a men's shop, "I'd really love to get him a new suit. He looks really good in suits."

Penny agreed with her, "Yeah, he does clean up pretty nicely."

Niki sighed in resignation, "But he's not here so that's a no go. His likes are so narrow, I can't just walk into a store and say, 'Sheldon would love that!' Most likely, he won't."

Bernie, who had picked out a bench facing them, reminded her, "Honey, he never used to like sex, either."

"Still, I can't see him being impressed or excited if I got him an Armani suit. My influence only goes so far."

Bernie remarked, "You've done a pretty good job so far. Sometimes he actually resembles a human being now."

Penny laughed and reminded them, "I loved how he said 'fuck' at Thanksgiving."

Niki waved it off, "That's not that big a deal. He said it to my sister. She'd make Jesus cuss."

Bernie decided to bring the subject back to Christmas gifts, "So, Penny, what are you getting for Leonard?"

"I don't know. A game? A book? I haven't got a clue what he'd want. I've already gotten him one present, so it's hard to come up with another one."

Niki' interest was piqued, "Oh? What did you get him?"

Penny shook her head and gave a secretive grin, "It's a secret until Christmas Eve."

Niki arched an eyebrow and asked her, "Aren't we going to that lip syncing club on Christmas Eve?"

Bernie almost squealed in excitement, "Yeah, they're having a big Christmas Eve party there. It will be fun!"

Niki began to share her enthusiasm, "That's better than karaoke for me. I can't sing a note. But I think lip syncing will be fun."

Now it was Penny's turn to steer the conversation back to Christmas shopping, "Okay guys, we're still stuck on presents. Bernie, what does Howard want this year?"

Bernie looked across at penny, a serious expression on her face, "Sex."

Penny rolled her eyes, "Besides that."

Bernie shook her head and said, "Nothing."

Niki agreed with Bernie, "Crud. I'm having the same problem with Sheldon."

Penny gave them an idea, "Yeah, Leonard has a one track mind in that department, too. Maybe a sex doll would fit the bill."

Niki was aghast at the suggestion, "Penny, we can't get them each a sex doll!"

Bernie challenged her, "Why not?"

Niki tried her best to explain, "I don't need the competition. Look at it this way, girls; they wouldn't have to worry about pleasing her, she'd never say 'no' or nag at them, and they'd never have to buy her clothes or feed her."

Penny became the voice of reason, "Nik, you're forgetting, she wouldn't cook for them, either. "

Niki thought for a moment and added, "Or pick their mother up from the airport."

Bernie gave a huge sigh, "Or pretend to be amazed by their stupid magic tricks."

Penny held up her hand to stop the runaway train of thought they were on and said, "Okay, girls. Let's put our heads together. What do all three of these guys like? Besides sex."

Niki began the list, "Computer games, especially MMORPGs."

Bernie added, "Super heroes."

Penny came up with, "Star Trek."

Bernie continued with, "Star Wars."

Penny thought of, "Video games they can play on all the different gaming systems."

Niki paused and said, "Don't forget comic books. Wait, I've got it!"

Both of her friends asked "What?" at the same time.

"Let's get each of the guys a gift certificate to Stuart's comic book store."

Penny jumped up and grabbed her bag, "Perfect! That's better than the underwear I got Leonard last year."

Bernie rose from the bench and confessed, "I got Howie socks."

Niki left her seat and headed for the door, "Then it's settled. C'mon girls. We're off to Stuart's!"

 **Victoria's Secret**

The guys continued their trek to the jewelry store when Howard suddenly applied the brakes.

He pointed at a store front, "Hey, there's Victoria's Secret."

Sheldon studied the window displays and commented, "It doesn't look to me like Victoria has too many secrets left to keep."

Leonard was becoming irritated with both of his friends, "Howard, why are you going in there?"

Howard's voice rose in excitement, "You never know. Maybe they have some kinky sex toys in here, For Couples."

Raj joined in Howard's enthusiasm, "A few toys are always fun to have around."

Sheldon innocently asked, "Sex toys? Is that like dolls who have coitus?"

Leonard tried to explain it to him, "No, Sheldon. They're sex aids."

Sheldon nodded as if he understood, but he had another question, "Oh, are they like band aids? Because sometimes Niki does leave a few scratches and marks."

Howard's head spun around to face Sheldon, "She does? Where?"

Sheldon grinned at how easy it had been to manipulate Howard, "Now that's Sheldon's Secret, Wolowitz."

Leonard rolled his eyes and tried to get his friends back on track, "Moving right along, the jewelry store should be coming up pretty soon."

Raj pleaded with his friend, "Can't we just window shop for a little bit?"

Howard was having a hard time understanding Leonard's reluctance, "Don't you want to go in there and have a look around, Leonard?"

Sheldon peeked inside the store and said, "They do have some lovely lingerie our ladies would appreciate, Leonard."

Leonard shook his head, "Penny wouldn't wear those. She sleeps in one of my old t-shirts, says it's romantic."

Raj gave Leonard a disappointed look, "Amanda loves sexy nightgowns. I do, too!"

"I could get Bernie something here. She looks so cute in a baby doll."

Sheldon's face showed true concern and he asked Leonard, "Is that one of the dolls who has coitus? I don't think I want to go in there if that's the case. It's a Small World creeped me out in a major way."

"No, Sheldon." Leonard pointed to the lingerie on one of the mannequins, "That's a baby doll nightie."

"Fascinating. Niki has something like that in red and black, but there's far less material. But you're right as usual, Leonard. On to the jewelry store."

Howard followed his friends, all the time asking Sheldon, "Wait, wait, Niki wears _less_ than that? Sheldon? Sheldon?"

 **At the comic book store**

The girls entered Stuart's store where he greeted them with, "Good afternoon, ladies. What can I do for you? And where are the guys?"

Penny looked around the store and answered him, "They're out doing the same thing we are, Christmas shopping."

Stuart looked pleased, "So you came here to shop for the guys? Good choice."

Bernie told him, "Well, it beats wandering around the mall all day."

Niki had a question for him, "Stuart, what do the guys buy the most of here? Action figures? Games? Comic books?"

"That's easy, comic books."

Penny was blunt, "Okay, be honest with us, Stuart. How much money would you say they spend in a year here?"

"Collectively or individually?"

Niki spoke first, "Individually."

"Hmmm…I'm going to have to think a minute about this."

Bernie got impatient and asked him, "Is it more than five hundred dollars?"

Stuart almost fell down laughing. "Five hundred dollars? You're slaying me!

Niki had a hopeful tone in her voice as she asked Stuart, "Less?"

He began to laugh even harder, then wiped his eyes and told them, "They each spend at least fifty dollars per week here. You do the math."

Niki cried out in disbelief, "Holy shit! They spend that much?"

Stuart's eyes narrowed and he asked the ladies, "How much do you ladies spend on clothing, make up, and perfume?"

Penny nodded thoughtfully, "Okay, gotcha. They sure ain't spending _their_ money on clothes. Niki, maybe a new suit wouldn't be that out of line for each of them."

She waved off Penny's suggestion, "Nah. That would be a very poor investment of our money. Most likely the suits would end up hanging in the back of the closet for months, making an endless buffet for the moths. No, comic books they want, comic books they shall get."

Bernie agreed with Niki, "Okay, but what do you think the odds are on them getting us thoughtful gifts? If I know Howie, I'll get some sort of appliance."

Niki stood up for the guys, "Don't sell them short, maybe they'll get it right this year and get us some sexy lingerie or perfume."

"Or jewelry." Penny added hopefully.

Niki brought her back down to earth, "Really Penny. Do you think any of the guys would even think of getting us jewelry for even a nanosecond?"

Penny relinquished all hope of jewelry, "Yeah, you're right. So why are we buying them the comic book gift cards?"

Niki shrugged, "Beats a sex doll and that's what was in second place."

Stuart apologized, "Sorry ladies, I don't sell those here. Hey, maybe that would help increase business. Thanks for the idea!"

Penny voice dripped with sarcasm, "Oh yeah, Georgia would _love_ you selling those here."

Stuart reluctantly capitulated, "Okay, maybe not."

Niki dug around in her purse and pulled out her wallet, "So it's settled, I'm buying Sheldon a year's worth of comic books. Here's my plastic Stuart. Do the deed."

Penny pulled out her card, also. "Likewise."

Bernie thought for a moment, "I'm still considering the sex doll. It's a hell of a lot cheaper."

Niki tried to get her to see the reality of such a gift, "Bernie, do you really want Howard alone with a sex doll? You may never see him again except for meals. And what if Kelly discovered it?"

"Okay, Stuart, they've convinced me. Ring it up."

Penny got a gleam in her eye as she said, "Now ladies, let's do something just for us girls. Let's go get some sushi!"

They all retrieved their credit cards and headed for the door calling out, "Merry Christmas to us!"

 **Bejeweled and Bedazzled**

The four friends approached the jewelry store in the mall with more than a little trepidation. None of them had ever purchased any jewelry for a woman before outside of engagement rings and wedding bands. They were all completely out of their comfort zone.

Leonard looked up at the sign that said Williams Jewelers. "Well, here we are."

Sheldon nodded, "Yes, we have finally arrived at our destination."

Howard looked nervous, "There's no guys in there."

Sheldon look at his friend quizzically, not understanding his friend's angst, "There soon will be, Howard. The last time I checked, I was a guy. How about you fellas?"

Howard shot him an extremely annoyed look, "Very funny, Sheldon. I just hope we can find what we want and get out of there quickly. C'mon, Raj, let's go in and get this over with."

Raj chuckled, "Hey, dude, I'm just tagging along to observe. I want to see you guys sweat."

Leonard decided there was safety in numbers and asked Raj, "Are you sure you don't want to buy something special in there for Amanda?"

Raj was adamant and told him, "I'm sure. I'm not ready to talk jewelry yet. You two are already married and Sheldon will be pretty soon."

"True. You are not yet ready to make that sort of commitment to Amanda. I completely understand. It took me years to work up the courage to propose to Amy."

Howard questioned him, "How about Niki? How long did it take before you knew you wanted to marry her?"

Sheldon's answer came quickly, "Not long at all. Funny how life can be unpredictable that way. I was terrified of asking Amy to marry me, and I was terrified of not asking Niki."

Leonard was curious, "What was the difference, buddy?"

"Maturity. That's all. Remember, I had been married once before I met Niki. With Amy, marriage was The Great Unknown. It makes a difference. Although Wolowitz wasted no time in proposing to Bernadette."

Leonard laughed out loud and said, "Well, she was a real live girl, so he had to act fast before she got to know the real him."

"Very funny, Leonard. Bernie and I are very happily married."

Sheldon added, "And will most likely stay that way now that we have talked you out of giving your wife that vacuum cleaner."

Raj was tired of standing outside the store, so he asked them, "What do you say we actually go inside the store?"

Leonard sounded more than a bit unsure about the whole procedure, "Sure, Raj. I'm just not sure how to ask for a charm bracelet."

Sheldon rolled his eyes in exasperation, "Leonard, you say, 'Sir, could you show me some of your charm bracelets?' There, that was easy enough, wasn't it?"

Leonard shot back, "Okay Mr. Smarty Pants, what you are getting Niki? You told us you would make the big reveal when we got to the jewelry store. Well, here we are."

"Very well, gentlemen. Let's proceed to enter the store. "

Sheldon walked up to the nearest sales associate and asked him, "If you were getting married soon, but your fiancée did not want to wear a veil, would you suggest getting her a tiara?"

The salesman smiled at him, "That sounds like a very good idea, sir. Did you have any particular color or style in mind?"

Sheldon pulled out his check list, "Yes. This is a second marriage for both of us, so my lady has opted to forego the usual all white wedding dress. She will be wearing an ombre gown of three different colors."

The salesman was still smiling, "And what colors will the gown be?"

We are getting married near the ocean, well, technically on the ocean. You see, we spent the 4th of July on the Queen Mary and fell in love with that ship. You should see the fireworks show they put on. Amazing! And the food, well the dinner they fed us was quite palatable. I don't drink, but I heard from my friends that the alcoholic beverages they served were…"

The man's smile disappeared, "Sir, what color is her gown going to be?"

"I apologize. I suppose I did get a bit carried away there."

Howard whispered to Leonard, "A bit?"

Sheldon continued, "Anyway, her gown will be a deep blue, lime green, and white. Starting from the bottom and going up to her shoulders."

"Would she like a large tiara, or something less ostentatious?"

Sheldon gave the man his specifics, "Niki would want something dainty and refined. All of her jewelry, except her engagement ring, is very unassuming. I want this to be a bit more than that, but not overpowering. Do you have anything following those guidelines?"

The salesman pulled out a tiara encrusted with blue and green gemstones, "How about this one?"

"Too loud."

The man removed a towering tiara from the case, "This one?"

"Too large."

In desperation the salesman reached behind the counter and showed Sheldon a ethereal tiara set with small diamonds, sapphires, and emeralds, "This one, it's my personal favorite."

Sheldon's eyes lit up with excitement, "Yes. That will fit the bill perfectly!"

Leonard agreed with him, "Buddy, Niki will look amazing with that on her head."

Howard muttered, "Yeah, like Honey Boo Boo."

Sheldon had heard him perfectly, "Really Howard? Perhaps I should buy her a vacuum to wear on her head instead."

"Enough about the vacuum cleaner. That's history. My problem is what do I give Bernie now?"

Raj had a suggestion, "Hey, Howard, what's Bernadette's favorite color?"

It didn't take long for him to reply, "I think it's blue."

Sheldon walked over to one of the jewelry cases, pointed to a cross pendant made of diamonds and blue sapphires and asked the salesperson to show it to them.

Howard protested, "Sheldon, I can't afford something like that."

"Do you happen to have a credit card?"

Howard was still unsure, "Sure, but that thing has got to be mega bucks."

Sheldon urged him on, "You make good money now. Apply for a store credit card. I'm sure they'll okay your card when they see your gross pay. Remember, you don't work at Cal Tech anymore."

"Sheldon, that cross is over two thousand dollars. Bernie would never buy me a gift that cost that much. Last year she got me socks for crying out loud!"

Sheldon wouldn't take no for an answer, "Then it's time to set a new precedent. Buy it, Howard. This is the woman who bore your child and gives you coitus in real life."

'You're right. Hey, twice in one day. That's got to be some kind of record for you."

Sheldon smiled smugly, "See, Howard, I've given you a goal to pursue. Now, let's go over there and fill out the paperwork for their card."

Leonard spoke up, "Hey, what about me?"

Sheldon looked back at his friend and reminded him, "I told you what to say, Leonard. Just say it."

Leonard walked over to another salesperson and asked them, "Excuse me; I'd like to see some of your charm bracelets?"

The title on their name tag said Manager, and they responded graciously to Leonard's request, "Of course, sir. Would you like gold or silver?"

"What would white gold with one two gold charms run me?"

Howard leaned in and advised him in a hushed voice, "Leonard, why don't you go for silver. Trust me. Penny may be in many plays, gold could become a little costly."

Leonard waved him off, "I don't care. Gold with two charms."

The Manager reached into a case and pulled out a stunning bracelet made up of linked chains, "This one here, with two small charms, will run you somewhere around twenty-five-hundred dollars. The charms are two hundred dollars each."

Leonard whistled, but then declared, "That's steep, but it's for my wife, Penny, who puts up with a lot from me. I want a charm for each play she's been in."

"Your wife's an actress?"

Leonard was turning the bracelet over in his hands and mumbled, "Uh, yeah."

The man grinned broadly and replied with a great deal of interest, "Has she been in anything I may have seen? I'm a huge fan of the theater."

Leonard finally looked up at him and replied, "Well, she did The Glass Menagerie at the Playhouse last summer."

"I saw that play. Is your wife Penny Hofstadter?"

"Yes, yes she is."

He pulled Leonard aside and told him, "I'm a big fan. I just saw her this last weekend in Oedipus Rex. She's quite an actress."

Leonard looked down at the bracelet and said, "She's an even better wife."

"Since I'm the manager here and I'm a huge fan of your wife's, I'm going to give this to you, with two charms, for twelve hundred dollars."

Leonard smiled at the man and nodded, "That's a good deal. Now, I just have to figure out what two charms to put on there."

"How about A for Amanda and J for Jocasta?"

"Great idea, Raj! Yes. Let's do those." Leonard reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. He handed something to the Manager, "Here's my card."

Meanwhile, Raj watched his friends make their purchases and began to think. He suddenly spoke up, "When you're done there, could you please show me some engagement rings? Diamond, Marquise cut, simple white gold band, about two carats?

After helping Leonard the man turned to Raj and pointed out a ring meeting his specifications in the case of engagement rings. He retrieved it and handed it to Raj, "Sir, we have this, but it is a bit pricey. It's over six thousand dollars."

Raj never blinked, "She's worth it. Here's my card."

Leonard's mouth dropped open, "Are you going to ask Amanda to marry you on Christmas?"

Raj looked from Leonard and over to Sheldon, "I'm thinking Christmas Eve. I remembered what Sheldon said, that he was more afraid of not proposing to Niki than he was of proposing to her. You were right, Sheldon. The right woman is worth it. We've been together six glorious months. I think it's time to propose. She checks all my boxes, Leonard. I'll never find another woman like her."

A look of superiority appeared on Sheldon's face, "Look at me, I'm on a roll. Koothrappali, there's hope for you yet. Now, let's get these things wrapped and go play some D & D."

Thirty minutes later, the four men left William's Jewelers, looking very proud of themselves.

 **They all spent some money, but I think everyone will be more than pleased with their gifts. We'll soon find out. We might even find out what Penny's other gift is for Leonard.**


	47. Chapter 47

Chapter 47: 'Twas the Night Before Christmas…

 **This will be a fairly long chapter, but a lot happened on this Christmas Eve.**

By December 23, our group of scientists had heard back from all the reviewers of their paper, and their hypothesis was given a thumbs up by all of them for publication. Sheldon, Niki, and Raj planned to submit it to the American Journal of Physics after the first of the year.

On the afternoon of Christmas Eve, Niki and Sheldon were relaxing in their living room, just the two of them comfortably ensconced on the couch. A glass of lemonade for each of them rested on the coffee table. Niki was in her usual position with her back up against his right shoulder, reading a biography of Lise Meitner. Sheldon was deeply involved in a comic book featuring The Flash. Domestic Bliss was the order of the day and they were both enjoying every minute of it.

"Just think Sheldon, tonight is our very first Christmas Eve together!"

"Yes, I am well aware of that fact, Niki."

"And that doesn't make it special for you?"

Sheldon set his comic book down on the table and sighed, "Niki, every night with you is special. But I suppose this one will be more so. I cannot wait to go out with our friends tonight. I have a great deal of fun socially with you. "

"As do I. I have forgotten, are we opening presents before, or after, we go to dinner?"

"If I remember correctly, and I always do, everyone is coming here before we leave. That would seem as good a time as any to exchange gifts."

Niki smiled contentedly and looked around her, "This living room seems perfect for staging Christmas. That fireplace and paneling just scream winter and Christmas to me."

Sheldon studied the room. More than he cared to admit, Niki had made this place a warm, welcoming, home. He loved to walk in at the end of the day, close the door and leave the rest of the world behind him. Though not especially domestic, she had transformed bare floors and walls into a place they both loved to call home. He viewed the tall Christmas tree in the corner, surrounded by brightly wrapped presents, and told her, "And that lovely tree you decorated makes it perfect."

Niki asked him, "Are you at all curious as to what I've gotten you for Christmas?"

Sheldon picked his comic book back up and told her, "No. I know whatever you get me will be fine. By the way, where were you the other day? You said you went to your doctor's office. I hope you are well."

She hastened to reassure him, "I'll tell you later tonight. And I am quite well, Sheldon."

They both returned to their reading and after awhile the Niki's phone rang. She reached over to the table and answered it.

 _Hello._

 _Nik?_

 _Penny? What's up? Or should I say, Merry Christmas!_

 _Same to you. Look, are you busy right now?_

 _Not really, what's wrong?_

 _Nothing. I just need to talk to someone or I'll burst. Is Sheldon there?_

 _Right next to me. Why?_

 _Can you meet me out by the cabana? I need to talk to you in private._

 _We can go in the bedroom. Sheldon won't disturb us._

 _Okay. I'll be over in a few minutes._

Sheldon looked up from his reading, "I hope everything is fine with Penny."

"Seems to be. It sounds like she has a big secret she wants to tell me. I wonder what it could be."

He looked out the window and informed her, "Well, you'll soon find out. She is coming up the walk as we speak."

After Niki opened the door for Penny, she led her to the bedroom and closed the door.

Niki walked over to the bed and sat down. She made room for Penny and then asked her, "Okay, girl, spit it. What's your big news?"

Penny warned her, "Now, you've got to promise not to tell anyone. Not even Sheldon."

Niki held her hand up with the palm facing Penny and told her, "I promise, but that'll be hard."

"It's only until tomorrow, okay?"

Niki nodded her head impatiently, "Sure. Now, what the heck is it?"

Penny wondered how good Niki's memory was, so she asked her, "You know when we were Christmas shopping with Bernie at the mall and I told you guys I had another present for Leonard?"

"Yeah, I remember."

Penny's face broke out into a huge grin, "Well, my present for him is this, I'm pregnant."

Niki gave her friend a big hug and bounced up and down on the bed in excitement, "Oh my god! I'm so happy for you!"

Penny put her finger to her lips, "Shhh. Keep it down. Sheldon has really good hearing."

Niki shook her head wearily, "He's reading a comic book. He won't even be thinking of us."

"I hope not. I want to surprise Leonard with this late tonight."

Niki's smile returned, "I'm guessing this will be a very Merry Christmas for both of you."

Penny admitted with a little hesitation, "I hope so. It's a little scary. The unknown and all of that."

"I can imagine. Do you know if you're having a boy or a girl yet?"

Penny grinned and shook her head, "Nope. Not for awhile. But at this point, I don't really care."

"Girl, thanks for telling me. I'm so happy for you guys." Niki quickly added," Does Bernie know?"

"I'm going to call her as soon as I leave here. She'll be so excited!"

Niki's eyes became dreamy, "I can't wait to meet Baby Hofstadter."

Penny turned to Niki and asked her, "How's your IVF going?'

Niki began to relate details of her appointment, "I went to my doctor's a few days ago and had my IUD removed. He took an ultrasound of my fallopian tubes and wants me to try getting pregnant the old fashioned way first."

Penny had true concern in her voice when she asked, "Won't that be dangerous for you?"

"He said that modern medicine has greatly reduced any risk for me. Don't tell Sheldon this, but he used some sort of laser treatment that removed enough of the scar tissue to allow a possible 'normal' pregnancy. Sheldon couldn't even tell I had anything done. I was hurting a bit for a couple of days, but I had some decent pain pills. I'm to go see him at the first sign I might be pregnant. If it's ectopic again, they can safely end the pregnancy with little risk for me. It might take awhile because I had the darn IUD up there for years, but he said most likely I could get pregnant within six months." Her eyes got big and she asked her friend, "Penny?"

"Yeah?"

Niki grasped Penny's hand and squeezed it, "Wish us luck with this. I want his child so much."

Penny wrapped her in a warm hug, "I know you do, Sweetie. I'll keep good thoughts and prayers goin' for you guys. Okay?"

Niki stood up and headed for the bedroom door, "Thanks. And I promise not to tell Sheldon your news if you don't tell Leonard about mine."

Penny followed her and agreed, "Deal. Look, I've got to get back home, so I'll see you later tonight."

"Okay, see you later."

Penny hugged her friend one more time, "Hey, good luck, Sweetie."

Niki walked her down the hall to the living room, "Thanks. Tell Leonard we both said 'Hi'."

Niki came back over to the couch and picked up her book, trying to determine what page she had been on when she had left. After finding her page, she settled in for a comfortable afternoon of reading.

Out of nowhere, Sheldon asked her, "How is Penny and what is it that you aren't supposed to tell me about?"

She looked up from the page she was on, "I'm _not_ supposed to tell you. It's a secret. Everyone will know by tomorrow, anyway."

Sheldon went back to his comic book, "Very well." He suddenly put it down and asked her, "How much longer until we have to start preparing for our Christmas Eve activities?"

Niki's eyes never left her reading, "At least couple of hours."

Sheldon changed position so that Niki was now lying across his lap.

She cried out, "Hey, no fair! I was just getting comfortable."

Sheldon grinned down at her playfully, "I can make you comfortable."

"You can, huh? How? "

Sheldon removed her top, "By doing this. You had way too much clothing on. You must be far more comfortable now."

Nik sat up and pulled his shorter t-shirt over his head, "you have more clothing on than I did. I need to take off one more thing to make us both comfortable." She then pulled off his longer shirt, exposing his chest. "There, that's more like it."

"Your legs look way too warm. Let me help you with that." Sheldon unzipped her pants and pulled them off of her. "That's better."

'You must be burning up in your pants as well. What kind of woman would I be if I let you sit there and suffer?" With that, she unbuckled his pants and unzipped them, slid her hands next to his skin, and pulled his pants down to his ankles. "Comfy?" she asked him.

"Yes, but you still have constricting material next to your skin. That cannot be comfortable. Here, let me help you," he murmured as he pulled her underwear down as well.

"You know, all that clothing got me very warm. Do you have a cure for that, Dr. Cooper?" she asked him as she pulled his underwear off of him as well.

"I was about to ask you the same thing. It seems unseasonably warm in here."

Niki let her lips travel over his face, down his neck, and across his chest before she asked him, "Does that feel a bit cooler?"

"I seem to be feeling ever warmer. Wait, let me try that on you and see if you experience the same reaction." With that, Sheldon tasted Niki's cheeks, lips, neck, and breasts with his tongue. Stopping briefly he asked her, "Are you feeling warmer?"

She nodded and gasped, "I am. I do believe a nice hot shower is the order of the day. What do you think?"

Sheldon kicked his pants off, picked Niki up, and carried her into the bathroom, "I totally agree with you." He put her down, removed his slippers, and turned on the shower. When the water reached a comfortable temperature, they opened the shower door and went inside. Soon, Sheldon groaned, "Oh yes, that is so much better!"

"Quiet, Cooper. I'm concentrating." Niki teased him as her hands and lips continued their work.

Their group began to arrive at Sheldon and Niki's home at six o'clock p.m., the first to arrive were Mary and Alfred.

"Hello, Mother, Alfred."Sheldon greeted them warmly. The afternoon's lovemaking with Niki had put him in a very good mood.

Mary hugged her son and asked him, "Hey, Shelly. Where's Niki? We've brought a little something for the two of you."

"She's busy transforming herself for the evening's events. I dare say, she's rather good at it, but it does take her a goodly amount of time."

Niki entered the living room. Niki was dressed in an off –the-shoulder red empire waisted gown trimmed at the bottom with white fur. Her hair was long and loose and fell silkily down to her shoulders. While not conventionally beautiful, this outfit made her look lovely, indeed. She took in the scene and people there. They were all dressed so nicely, but was that the real them? She knew that she felt best in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt with little to no makeup on her face. She also knew it never mattered to Sheldon whether she was dressed up or not. The best thing about Sheldon is he either liked or disliked someone based on who they truly were, not on what they looked like. She knew Sheldon recognized she looked more like what the world would call attractive when she dressed as she did tonight. But he wasn't any more attracted to her tonight than when she was puttering around the house dressed in her sweats.

She realized she had been standing there staring at everyone without saying anything, so she greeted them all with, "Did someone ask for me? Oh, hello you two. You both look so nice!"

Niki was correct with that. Both Mary and Alfred had put on their best clothes, Alfred in a form fitting grey suit with a black shirt and red tie and Mary in a floor length red dress trimmed with green and gold sequins. She looked quite festive.

Alfred smiled and made the observation, "You two don't look so bad, yourselves."

Niki answered him in a happy voice, "Thanks. I think it's easier for Sheldon than it is for me."

Sheldon had put on a black suit with a grey shirt and black tie. He looked quite handsome. He studied Niki and was satisfied she was appropriately attired for this evening's celebrations. To be honest, she could have been wearing a sack and he would have found her attractive. Whether in jeans, sweats, or a formal gown, Niki stayed Niki; a down to earth, sometimes short tempered, intelligent woman whose sharp wit could always be counted on to be entertaining. When she was happy, it showed. When she was sad, she showed it. And when she was angry, her mouth had a tendency to spew some pretty colorful language. But that didn't bother Sheldon; it was her basic emotional honesty and lack of pretense that had drawn him to her in the first place.

As if to validate both of their thoughts, Sheldon responded to her comment, "I've always found you attractive, even in jeans with no makeup. Who you truly are inside is what attracted me. Though, of course, I find you physically attractive as well."

Niki agreed with his point of view, "I'll just end this conversation by saying that I have always felt Sheldon is an extremely handsome man, but it is his brain that did it for me. That made you a ten in my book, kiddo."

Sheldon joked, "I'm not a ten, I'm a one hundred and eighty seven."

Just then, a knock came on the door and Leonard and Penny greeted them with a hearty, "Merry Christmas!" Leonard was attired in a newer version of his typical brown suit, while Penny was in a Mrs. Clause red mini-dress trimmed in white fur. Niki thought she looked adorable.

She looked over at her friend who was standing slightly behind her husband and raised an eyebrow as if to ask 'Did you tell him yet?' Penny shook her head slightly and put a finger to her lips as if to say, 'Not yet. Please don't say a word.'

Leonard smiled at his friends and told them, "I would have brought a bottle of wine as a gift, but seeing as neither one of you drink, we got you this instead." He handed them a six pack of YooHoo with coupons to buy many more attached to it with a bow.

Niki took it from him and said, "Thanks you guys. I'll just put this in the kitchen. We have something for you, too."

Sheldon beamed at them, "I do think you'll like it." Leonard was his best friend and he was more than happy to do something nice for him and Penny. He wanted very much to make up for past sins and he found that the act of atonement made him very happy as well.

Leonard took the drink Niki offered him and asked Sheldon, "Okay buddy, what is it? Thanks, Nik."

Sheldon grabbed an envelope from the kitchen counter and handed it to Leonard, "Here. Merry Christmas to my two very best friends in the entire universe."

Leonard peeked inside the envelope and a huge grin spread across his face, "Sheldon, Niki, thank you so much."

Penny's curiosity got the better of her and he looked over his shoulder, "What is it?"

"They got us movie passes for all of next year for the Arclight theater!"

Penny was amazed that Sheldon had been that thoughtful. She knew Niki had most likely helped him pick the gift, but his spirit of giving was, indeed, genuine. "Oh my god! Thank you guys so much!" Getting in the Christmas spirit herself, she handed an envelope of her own to her father-in-law and his wife, "Here, Mary, Alfred, we got you this."

Mary took it and after opening it, she broke into a big smile, "Alfred, they got us gift certificates to our favorite steakhouse. Thank you, kids." She once again fell in love with her husband's son. He was sweeter and far more thoughtful than her own son, but Sheldon was beginning to catch up with him, a fact for which she was immensely grateful.

Alfred put his arm around his wife, "We will think of you and Penny, son, whenever we use one of them. As Mary said, thank you."

Sheldon spoke up, "Mother, Alfred; Niki and I purchased a gift for you, also." He did not want his mother and Alfred to think that they had forgotten them.

Mary went over to her son and planted a kiss on his cheek, "You didn't need to do that Shellybean; you done had us over for Thanksgiving and treated us to that Fourth of July shindig on that boat. But thank you."

Sheldon reached in his jacket pocket and produced an attractive looking envelope. Alfred took and opened this one and found reservations for a hotel room on Colorado Blvd. for New Years Eve. "Mary, look at this! Thank you, Sheldon, Niki. Mary has told me many times she wanted to see the Rose Parade live. Now she will."

Mary gave her son a hearty hug, "Shelly, that was right thoughtful of you and Niki. Thank you much."

Alfred cleared his throat, "We got you two kids something as well. It's rather like a housewarming present." He went back out to the porch and retrieved a large package. "I do believe I heard Niki talking about wanting one of these for the living room."

Niki came out of the kitchen, handed Penny a bottle of juice, and took the package from Alfred, opened it and squealed, "Sheldon, they got us a gorgeous Tiffany lamp! I love it!

Sheldon studied the orange, red, green, and yellow lamp closely and said, "It is very beautiful and it will go nicely in our living room. Thank you so much, Mother, Alfred. I, too, love it."

Mary looked fondly at Penny, "Honey, I couldn't think of a thing to get you guys until Alfred made this suggestion. Whenever Penny works late at one of those plays of hers, we have arranged for food to be delivered to your house. Here's a pizza place, a Thai restaurant, a Chinese place, and an Italian restaurant. Just call and give them your name. Alfred and I picked a meal from each of them and have it pre-ordered. All you have to do is call any of these places and the meal will be cooked and delivered to your door."

Leonard spoke up, "If Penny stays on that side of town can I use it for me?"

Mary looked at Leonard with uncertainty, "Sure, but that might be a whole lot of food for one person."

Leonard replied happily, "Hey, leftovers!"

Sheldon nodded in agreement, relieved that Niki worked in the office right next to his, 'That would solve the problem very nicely, Leonard."

Penny put down her juice and asked excitedly, "Now, are we all ready to meet all the rest of our friends at that new Italian place on Walnut?"

Niki came over and hugged her, "You bet. And then after, let's all go lip syncing!"

At the restaurant, Sheldon, Niki, and the others met up with their group. Howard looked anxious, Raj looked nervous, and Stuart and Georgia were lost in a world of their own. After being seated, Howard's anxiety increased. He looked at his sweet wife, Bernadette and wondered how he ever managed to land such a wonderful woman. He knew he was often clueless when it came to the opposite sex and she willingly put up with that, and so much more. He sure hoped Sheldon and the other guys had been right about giving her jewelry. He really wanted to make this Christmas special for her. He decided to get the gift giving over with and announced, "Before we order any food, I do believe we should exchange some presents. He reached into the bag he had brought with him and pulled a manila folder out and reached inside of it. "For the guys," he handed each one of his buddies an envelope, "you will find a gift certificate to our local laser tag establishment. Enjoy, gentlemen."

Sheldon was truly impressed with Howard's choice of gift, "Oh, good. Niki, now we can go play laser tag together."

Niki panicked and then came up with a suitable answer that got her out of laser tag, an activity she disliked with a passion, "I think it might be better if you go with the guys, don't you think? We already play paintball together."

Sheldon nodded in reluctant agreement, "Perhaps you're right. Thank you, Howard."

The other guys responded with words of thanks, also, and the ladies with looks of relief. None of their men had suggested playing in tandem with them.

Bernie knew their present for the ladies would be accepted with delight, so her voice was even higher pitched than usual when she looked at them and said, "For the ladies, we got you all gift certificates to O2 sushi. To be used exclusively with us girls."

Georgia, who was having one of the best Christmas Eves she could recall in recent years, flashed smile and said, "Thanks, Bernadette. That was very nice of you guys."

The ladies all put their heads together and decided they were going to schedule a sushi girl's night as soon as possible. They all gave the Wolowitzes their thanks.

Stuart cleared his throat, he was a bit uncomfortable speaking up in public places, but this occasion was a little different, "Georgia and I decided to gift both the ladies and the men with an assortment of video games." He handed each couple a gift bag full of assorted titles. The guys' faces lit up and the ladies attempted to smile at the gift. "Oh ladies, in case you don't want to play any games, we included a gift certificate for set of glamour shots to be taken at the mall." The last pronouncement erased their disappointment and made their faces light up as well.

And so it went. Finally all the couples' gifts to the others had been exchanged and dinner was ordered. Everyone then decided that the rest of the gifts would be exchanged at the club.

Penny informed them, "Hey, everyone. Leonard and I will leave first and save a few tables for everyone, okay?

Bernie waved her on, "Sure. We'll see you there. C'mon Howie, let's get a move on! The way you're moving we'll be the last ones there."

Alfred spoke up, "I think Mary and I will be going home. I have a feeling this will be a late night and I don't think us elderly folk are up to that." His wink at the end showed he had been joking about the word 'elderly'."

It wasn't long before they all headed to their separate cars and made their way to the lip-syncing venue.

True to their word, Leonard and Penny had saved three tables for their friends; however, they were not the first to get to the club. Before they had arrived, Stuart and Georgia had already exchanged gifts. He had given her a year's gift certificate to his comic book shop for her son and had gifted her with a pretty silver and gold necklace that most likely cost him much more than he could afford. She had given him a beautiful leather jacket and some expensive cologne. They were both over at one of the tables staring into each other's eyes. Howard had yet to give Bernie her gift and she hadn't given him his, either. They had been waiting for everyone to arrive. After everyone had been seated and ordered their beverages, Howard rose and addressed his wife, "Bernie, I never have figured out why you married me, but I'm awfully glad you did. You and Kelly mean the world to me. So, anyway, the guys and I were in the mall and I found the perfect gift for you…

Sheldon interrupted him, "He was going to get you a vacuum cleaner."

Niki was furious and she scolded him, "Sheldon, hush!"

Leonard could not believe his ears and asked him, "Did you have to say that, buddy?"

Penny blurted out angrily, "Really Sheldon? You couldn't keep that to yourself?"

Howard shook his head and smiled all of them, especially Sheldon, "Hey, before you guys tear him a new one, let me finish what I was saying. The guys and I were in the mall and I found the perfect gift for you because my friend Sheldon told me how inappropriate my other gift was. Here, Bernie. If you like it you can _thank_ Sheldon…but _kiss_ me."

Bernie took the present wrapped in gold foil paper and opened it up to find a dark blue jewelry box. She lifted the lid and gasped when she saw the diamond and sapphire cross, "Oh, Howie! I love it! Sheldon told you to get me this?"

"No. Sheldon told me to get you a pretty piece of jewelry. I picked out that cross."

Bernie threw her arms around her husband and hugged him tightly, "I love you, Howie. You're the best husband ever! And Sheldon? Thank you for setting him straight."

Sheldon accepted her thanks with a simple nod of his head.

Leonard whispered to Raj, "Niki must be rubbing off on him."

His friend whispered back to him, "Has to be, dude."

Now it was Leonard's turn, "Penny, the first time I saw you I fell madly in love with you. And time hasn't done a single thing to change that. I don't think any man in the world is more proud of his wife than I am. To show you how proud I am of your acting achievements, I bought you this. Howard said lingerie, but I liked this much better."

Like Bernie before her, Penny unwrapped her present to find a jewelry box, this one in gold. She looked up at Leonard with tears in her eyes and whispered, "Thank you."

Leonard gave her a quizzical look, "You haven't opened it yet."

'I don't need to. Whatever is in here was given to me with love. Nothing beats that." She noticed Leonard had an expectant look on his face, so she opened the box and read the card enclosed; _Penny, you are the love of my life and also my favorite actress in the world. I am putting one gold charm on this bracelet for every play or movie you are ever in. Hopefully, I'll have to buy another bracelet to hold them all. Merry Christmas 2026, Leonard._

Now the tears were running down her face, "Oh my god, Leonard! It's perfect! You're the best husband any woman could ever have."

Leonard asked Sheldon, "Don't you have a present for Niki?"

Sheldon looked at him and answered, "I do. But I believe I will give it to her a bit later."

Leonard looked frustrated with him, "Why?"

"Really, Leonard, have you not learned by now I have a very good reason for everything I do?"

Niki put her hand on Sheldon's shoulder and told him, "That's okay, really. The wait will make it even better."

Sheldon turned to face her and put his arms around her waist, "Wait a minute, little lady. That was just for the present those men know about. I have another one to give you now."

Niki cocked her head quizzically, "What is it? Now you've really got me curious."

Howard volunteered, "Which killed the cat if you haven't forgotten."

Leonard frowned and told him, "Howard, Niki is not a cat."

Niki couldn't stand the suspense any longer, "Sheldon, just give it to me. Wait a minute, that came out wrong.

Everyone was laughing loudly at Niki's pronouncement while Sheldon was completely lost, "I'm not following you."

"Never mind. What is the present you're going to give me?"

Sheldon grinned wickedly and explained to her, "Niki, I had another peer review done on our paper and I think you should see this one. Maybe even frame it."

Niki's attention had been engaged, "Sheldon, who reviewed it and why should I frame it?"

He asked her, "Who was your biggest supporter in college?"

"That would have been my mentor, Dr. Mueller. He always encouraged me and he told me to never give up on my dreams, that science sees no gender. He was right. At my lowest point, I could still hear those words in my head. They kept from losing it completely. I never told you this, Sheldon, but it was Dr. Mueller who saw I was going down for the count and got me into rehab and then secured me my position at Mt. Wilson. I owe the man so, so, much."

Sheldon nodded in agreement, "Yes, he truly believed in you and was your biggest supporter. And who better to review your hypothesis than Dr. Mueller himself?"

Niki's mouth dropped open, "Sheldon…you didn't."

"I did. Now, the man is only a college professor, not a theorist, but he is brilliant nonetheless. He has published some significant papers himself, so I sent him a copy of our work for him to review." He handed her a letter written on fancy stationary, "Here, as I said earlier, you might want to frame this. He is quite laudatory. Read it aloud for all of us to hear."

She began to read:

 _My dearest Dr. Horner,_

 _Today I received a copy of a hypothesis you have put together with your colleagues. I must say, I was extremely impressed. I read your paper thoroughly and came to the conclusion that not only is your hypothesis viable; it should also be published at the earliest possible date. Your paper has moved into groundbreaking territory and it makes me very proud to say that you were my prized pupil when you were here at Stanford. Keep up the excellent work and always remember what I told you years ago, science knows no gender. You are an extremely capable scientist and after reading this paper, I can see that your colleagues are, also. I am familiar, of course, with Dr. Cooper's work, but it is also the work of Dr. Koothrappali that has very much impressed me. Niki, you have aligned yourself with a group of brilliant physicists and I can see many honors and awards coming in the future for all of you._

 _Best wishes,_

 _Dr. Garrison Mueller_

Niki threw herself into Sheldon's arms and began to sob. Her robot man had picked a gift that went straight to her heart, "Thank you so much! This means so very much to me. More than all the jewelry or perfume in the entire world. I love you, Cooper!"

She released herself from Sheldon's arms and turned to Raj, "I am so very glad we were all a part of this thing together. Raj, you got me into this by letting me fill in for you with Sheldon. Thank you."

Sheldon went over to Raj and gave him and awkward arm around the shoulder hug, "Yes, Raj, thank you. That was the best thing you have ever done for me, in more ways than one."

Raj grinned went from ear to ear and he told Sheldon in a happy voice, "It was the right thing to do. Just look what has happened. You and Niki are getting married and our theory has met with positive reviews. This could be the start of something big for all of us."

Sheldon announced to them all, "Gentlemen, ladies, enough about that. Niki, put that letter back in its envelope, we will frame it later. For now, we have an evening of lip sync battles ahead of us!

Niki and Penny excused themselves with the age old excuse of needing a trip to the ladies' room. What they actually did was discuss the song they had chosen days before. They made the final decisions as to who sang what part and how they would start and end their performance. Before they could head back to their table, they were approached by two large, very drunk, males.

The most sober one addressed them in the hallway, "Hey there, pretty ladies. "

Penny tried to get by them, but they blocked her way. She was getting a bit steamed, "Hey. What do you guys want?"

He came even closer to them and said, "Me and my friend couldn't help noticing how two lovely ladies like you are stuck sitting with two geeky nerds."

His friend nodded and told them, "Yeah, we've come to rescue two damsels in distress."

Niki's eyes narrowed dangerously, "We're not in distress, sailor. Take it somewhere else."

The first drunk spoke again, "Look, we saw those guys you're with. I'd say distress is the right word."

Niki shook her head, "No, I'd say being hit on outside the ladies' room by a couple of Neanderthals is distress."

The second man, who wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed when he was sober, asked her, "Who are the Nean…whatever you said. A bike club?"

Niki rolled her eyes much like Sheldon, "Oh good god, spare me!"

Penny put her hand on her friend's shoulder to calm her. She did not think an angry Niki was a good idea in this situation, "Easy girl. We'll just go back to our table."

The men, once again, blocked their way.

The drunker one had a question for both of them, "Before you go, what do you see in those two dweebs?"

Niki thought for a second and answered, "Hmmm. Sobriety? Brains?"

Penny agreed with her, "Those were the first things I thought of, Nik."

The beer started talking and the man placed himself in front of Niki and challenged her, "Hey, I'm pretty smart. Test me. C'mon. I bet I'm at least as smart as your guys."

Niki could not hide her smirk, "You really think so?"

Penny grabbed her by the arm, "Nik, let's just leave."

Niki waved her off, "In a minute. The man said he was as intelligent as Sheldon and Leonard. Let's see if he really is."

He started in on Niki again, his face very close to hers, "C'mon honey. Ask me something your guy out there would know. I bet I can keep pace. He looks a like a pretty dim bulb."

His friend added, "Hey Bill, they both do."

Niki thought a moment and then asked him, "You want a question my guy can answer, huh? Okay. What's the difference between Loop Quantum Gravity and String Theory?"

His face went blank, "Excuse me?"

Niki tapped her foot, "I'm waiting. It's a pretty simple and straightforward question."

"I think you're kidding me. Okay, ask me another one."

"Penny, your turn."

Penny smiled; she could hardly wait to ask the idiot her question, "Okay. Something Leonard knows… here goes. Explain why dark matter is like a superfluid."

The man's eyes flew open and his face became red, "Say what? Are you girls nuts?"

Niki grinned, "No. My mother had me tested. We asked you two fairly simple questions." She checked her watch, "You have yet to answer either one."

The second man told his partner, "Bill, I think these girls are pulling our legs."

Bill nodded and snarled at the women, "Yeah, Burt, I think you're right. That ain't nice, ladies."

Niki asked impatiently, "Do either of you morons know the answer to those questions?" Penny cringed.

Burt spoke up, "C'mon Blondie. How would anyone know the answer to that shit?"

"I do." She responded in a confident voice.

Bill's voice rose, "Like hell you know that crap. How would you be able to answer that weird shit?"

Niki sighed, "Because that is my profession, just like the 'geek' I'm with. He would consider both of those questions child's play, as do I.

Burt looked at Niki menacingly, "What does Mr. Geek do? Is he a rocket scientist or something?"

Niki burst out laughing, "Oh puhleeze! There is no such thing as a rocket scientist! Just how dense are you, anyway?" To Penny she said, "These two make Zach look intelligent."

Bill grabbed Niki's arm and twisted it, "How funny do you think this is, bitch?"

Niki sighed, threw him off balance by placing her entire weight on his instep, and twisted out his grasp. She then spun and kicked his legs out from under him. "I think it's hilarious. What about you, Penny?"

Penny had had even less trouble landing her man on the floor when he had charged towards her, "Yeah, it was kinda funny. I'm thinking those self defense classes we took with Bernie have finally paid off."

"Those were Friday nights well spent, indeed." She addressed the men laying in the hallway, "Gentlemen, next time you try something cute like that, maybe you should check that the lady is not double jointed and proficient in martial arts. Really, that was way too easy."

Penny pleaded with her, "Niki, let's go. Here come the bouncers and Leonard and Sheldon."

Niki held up her hand, "Just a minute. Hey, you two slobs on the floor. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Dr. Nikita Horner and I'm an astrophysicist. These two gentlemen," pointing to Sheldon and Leonard, "are Dr. Sheldon Cooper and Dr. Leonard Hofstadter. Sheldon is a theoretical physicist and Leonard is an experimental physicist. And for what it's worth, they both knew the answer to both our questions; in fact, Dr. Hofstadter came up with the theory for the second question. Good day, fellas. The nice bouncers will now escort you out." She looked over at the two scientists, "Hey guys. What's up?"

After they had returned to their table, Penny and Niki filled the guys in on what had gone down. Leonard got a kick out of it while Sheldon was incensed. "How dare he think he had the same level of intelligence as me? That is ludicrous! Anyone could see the man was a moron."

Howard asked him, "Sheldon, aren't you mad about him grabbing Niki?"

"I don't like the idea of that happening, but heaven help anyone who tries to manhandle her. Niki is quite capable of defending herself. As is Penny."

Niki chuckled, "Sheldon's right, we had the upper hand from the start. By the way, Sheldon, I made him look like the fool that he is by testing his supposed 'intelligence'"

"How did he fare?"

She shook her head in disgust, "Dumber than a box of rocks. Anyway, we aren't finished with our gift giving, are we? Penny, Bernie, and I have something to give you guys. No, not sex, Howard. Do you ever think of anything else?"

Bernie spoke for all of them, "We all got together and got you all the same thing."

Howard gave a sigh and muttered under his breath, "I hope it's not socks again."

"Or underwear." Leonard added.

Penny gave them some reassurance, "Fear not oh intrepid scientist guys, we all put our heads together and got you each one of these." She handed them each a plain white envelope, "Read it and weep."

The men each grabbed an envelope and examined its contents.

Leonard was the first to speak, "This is a very thoughtful gift. But I don't know if we can spend that much in a year at Stuart's."

Stuart cleared his throat and spoke, "You have every year so far."

Sheldon studied the gift certificate, "I had failed to realize I spent anywhere near that much on comic books. Ladies, you should have said something to each of us."

Niki responded, "Not so, Sheldon. At first, yes, we felt the same way. Then Stuart reminded us of how much we spend on clothing and makeup in a year. It comes out to being pretty close to the same amount. Let's just call this one even, okay?"

Leonard grinned and put an arm around his wife, "Okay. We have a deal. Now, does anyone want to be the first ones up there to lip sync?"

Niki and Penny were the first ones to volunteer. They rendered a very sexy version of Hey Santa. Penny was kittenishly cute and playful while Niki took on a smoldering and sultry persona. They received much applause, especially from their friends.

Next up was Amanda and Georgia who performed an enthusiastic version of All I want for Christmas is You. Everyone applauded their efforts, but none louder than Raj and Stuart. The performance that brought the house down, however, was Bernadette's smoldering version of Santa Baby. Somehow, Bernie looked beyond sexy in a short, green elf suit complete with striped hosiery. Somehow, she worked that outfit for all it was worth and received a standing ovation.

After Bernadette's number, all the men took to the small stage and Leonard announced, "Well, we've all heard some wonderful Christmas music tonight, but my friends and I have decided go in a different direction with our songs for the ladies in our lives. So, that being said, each of us will perform to a song we have dedicated to our special lady. Anyway, we hope all of you, but especially our wives and girlfriends, appreciate us going waaaay back to some very old, oldies.

As the other men stepped off the stage, the first notes of Frankie Avalon's Venus could be heard and Leonard did a great job lip syncing to this song. His eyes crinkled at the corners as her performed while Penny's eyes glistened. Leonard's delivery was sweet and very heartfelt. At the end of this number, Leonard just said a simple, "I love you, Penny. You're more than my wife, you're my Venus."

Sheldon walked to the stage and took the mike and informed the crowd, "I know most of you don't know my fiancé, Niki. So I will tell you that she is beautiful, intelligent, and the best dance partner any man ever had. She can also take down a man twice her size in less than ten seconds, but that's a story for another time. Niki, this little number is for you." Johnny Tillotson's Poetry in Motion began to play and Sheldon actually looked playful as he performed the song. On the closing notes started to fade, Sheldon left the stage and walked over to their table and reached down and gave Niki a gaily wrapped box. He kept the mike in his hand and told her as she opened the box, "Niki, you are more than the lady I love, you are my queen. And every queen needs a crown." Niki pulled out her tiara, gasped in delight, and let Sheldon place it on her head as she smiled sweetly at him and then hugged him tightly.

Next up was Stuart, who took the mike and said, "Sometimes people come into your life that are so special you will never forget them. My lovely lady is one of these people. She has brought both love and sunshine into my life. Georgia, this song is for you." Nat King Cole's Unforgettable began to play and Stuart surprised everyone, including Georgia, with his touching performance. Even Sheldon was moved by the way Stuart presented his song.

Howard took the mike next and addressed his wife, "Bernie, you have always gone above and beyond as a friend, a partner, a mother, and a wife. I want to let you know how thankful I am for having you in my life every day. I'm a goofball and sometimes I'm hard to take seriously, but you always see the man beneath the goof. Bernie, I love you." Soon, the music started for Bread's song, If. By the time Howard was finished, Bernie was in tears and all Howard's friends were surprised.

"I didn't know he had that much romance in him." Sheldon whispered to Leonard.

"I could say the very same thing about you, buddy." Leonard responded.

Raj nervously took to the stage last. He gestured with his hand towards his table and began to speak haltingly at first, but his fluidity increased the longer he spoke. "I want to introduce everyone to my girlfriend, Amanda. Amanda is so much like me, it's scary. We graduated from grad school with the same major, astrophysics, and we both love telescopes, romcoms, my dog, star parties, and each other. Amanda, as you all can see, is a beautiful woman. I wish you could all see how beautiful she is inside, because that is beyond description. Amanda is intelligent, kind, funny, and sexy. Sometimes all at the same time. Anyway, I want to dedicate this song to the woman who means more to me than any other person in the world. Amanda, this is for you." Paul Anka's Do I Love You began and Raj performed it well, with power and emotion. Near the end of the song, he left the stage and walked over to his table where he proceeded to pull a ring box out of his pocket and open it. He mouthed the words, 'Will you marry me?' to her and her answer was tears, a hug and a 'Yes!'.

Sheldon leaned towards Leonard and commented, "Well, another one bites the dust."

Leonard looked over at him and said, "Says the man who is getting married in about three and a half months." Sheldon winked and grinned in response and Leonard had to grin back. His friend had come such a long way since they had met and Leonard couldn't wait to see what would happen to all of them in the future.

About an hour later all of the couples left the club walking arm in arm with their mate. It had been both an interesting and eventful Christmas Eve. Everyone congratulated Raj and Amanda on their engagement and asked Sheldon and Niki how their wedding planning was going.

"We're getting there," Niki informed them, "but we have to finish all of that after the first of the year. Next week all of us girls are going out dress shopping. Amanda, you can get some ideas for what you want while we're looking around."

Penny got a wistful look in her eyes, pulled Leonard aside and told him, "I was going to give you your last gift after we got home, but I can't wait, I want you to know what it is now."

Leonard looked confused, "Another present? What is it?"

Penny looked at him sheepishly, "I don't know exactly how to say this, but your dad is going to be a grandpa again."

"What, is my sister pregnant again?"

Penny giggled, "No, silly. I am."

Leonard picked her up and hugged her tightly. "Hey, everybody!" he shouted, "I'm going to be a father!"

All the guys took turns clapping Leonard on the back and saying the usual, "Congratulations!" While the women just took turns hugging Penny.

Sheldon suddenly looked at his watch and then at his friends, "It is now midnight. All I want to say to all of you is MERRY CHRISTMAS!"

"Merry Christmas, Sheldon!" they all shouted back to him with more than a little affection. It appeared it was going to be a very Merry Christmas for them all.

 **I hope you enjoyed this chapter. For some unknown reason it was the hardest to write of all of them so far. That cursed writer's block hit, plus my computer kept acting up. But I finished it. What do you think our couples will be up to next? My guess is that Sheldon and Niki have a wedding to plan and a paper to publish, among other things.**


	48. Chapter 48

Chapter 48: Takin' Care of Business

 **It seems our couple has quite a few things coming up in their lives at the same time. Can they handle it all without imploding?**

One evening in early January, Sheldon ran into the house crying "Niki!" as he waved a letter above his head.

Niki, who had been listening to some music, removed her headphones and stared at him, "What's the matter? Why are you yelling like that?"

"Our paper," he panted and attempted to catch his breath, "has been accepted for publication in the American Journal of Physics this month."

"That was fast. Why did they want to publish it this month?"

Sheldon explained it to her, "According the editors, they had room for it in this month's issue and that the paper held much importance to the scientific community. You, Dr. Nikita Horner have just put yourself among the up and coming physicists in the world of science. Congratulations."

Niki interrupted him and shook her head, "Your name and Raj's were on that paper, also."

Sheldon looked at Niki with pride in his eyes, "Yes, but our names are fairly well known. You have just come out of nowhere and a paper you contributed a great deal to has just been approved for publication by one of the country's leading physics journals."

Niki eyes had a deer caught in the headlights look, "Wow. This is all happening kind of fast."

His voice rose in excitement, "Yes. And soon, we will be asked to speak on this paper at colleges, universities, and think tanks across the country!"

She gave him a worried look and asked, "How long will that go on? I've never had anything happen like this before."

Sheldon walked over to the calendar on the kitchen wall and took an educated guess, "I'd say we will be fairly busy for the next six months or so."

"Sheldon, need I remind you we're getting married in April? We can't be traipsing across the country giving lectures. We have a wedding and honeymoon to plan."

"That shouldn't be too difficult for two physicists who just published a paper about time travel." He walked over to Niki and took her in his arms. "We'll find a way. I promise. I do believe we can begin our lecture series in March, take the month of April off, and then tour off and on through the summer.

Niki plopped down on the couch and stared at the wall in front of her, "That sounds exhausting."

"Or exhilarating. It all depends on how you view it."

Niki slowly nodded and her eyes came back into focus, "Hmmm. You may have a point there. Well, I'd better get on the phone and call our wedding planner. Suddenly, time is of the essence."

A happy grin appeared on Sheldon's face, "Very well. I will clear our agenda for this weekend and dedicate it to Project Matrimony, the making of Shiki."

Niki could barely stifle a giggle, "I don't know if I like that name, Cooper."

"I thought that might be the case. You do know I was joking, right?"

She got up from the couch, walked over to where he was standing and pretended to punch him on the chin, "You'd better be. I hate when people amalgamate their names, it's kind of a juvenile thing to do in my mind."

Sheldon planted a kiss on the top of her head, "Or it could be people merely using a convenient form of shorthand. No matter. We will not blend our names and we will keep our separate identities even after marriage. There will be no need for you to change your name. "

"Well, I certainly won't change my name professionally. But my personal name? Nikita Cooper has a nice ring to it."

Sheldon smiled at her and gave her a hug, "It does, doesn't it? Okay, we've settled that piece of business. Now to finalize the plans for our wedding."

That Saturday morning found Sheldon and Niki in a rather grand office onboard the Queen Mary, meeting with their wedding planner.

The name on his badge said Don, and he was doing his best to help them. He needed to know a few more things so he started things off with, "Now, from what you have both told me, you want to plan most of this yourself. Is that correct?"

Niki smiled and nodded at him, 'For the most part, yes, though a little professional advice from time to time will always be welcomed."

Don sat back in his chair, folded his hands on his expansive stomach and continued the conversation, "All right. Let's start with the basics. We have your date reserved for you. April 18th. Do you want to hold your ceremony indoors in our chapel or out on the deck?"

They looked at each other and both spoke at once, "Outdoors."

His questions kept coming, "Ah, good. I see you are in agreement on that. Now, where would you like to hold your reception? Will it be on the ship?"

Again, they spoke together, "Oh, yes."

Don started to smile; this was going to be easier than most weddings he helped plan. This couple knew exactly what they wanted and agreed on everything. So far, anyway. "Good. Now, we have several banquet rooms. What size will suit you best depends on several factors. First, how many guests will you be having? Just give me a rough estimate."

Niki volunteered this information, "We have sent out twenty six invitations for a grand total of somewhere around sixty people if they all show."

Don nodded, and then asked them, "I see. Will you be needing a dance floor?"

Niki, once again, was the one who spoke, "Yes. I do believe we also want to be able to have some karaoke and some lip syncing."

Don began to write some notes down on a graphic organizer, "So, no live band needed, just a dj and a karaoke machine?"

This time it was Sheldon who answered the man, "That is correct. We want our guests to have fun and to also have the chance to participate in the reception."

Don studied his notes and made a suggestion to them, "From what you have told me you want a late afternoon ceremony. May I recommend the Verandah Grill for your reception? It features a sunken dance floor and it opens onto the Sun Deck where your guests can go outside and take in the lights of the city if they so desire. The Verandah Grill can easily accommodate up to 180 guests, so seating shouldn't be a problem. We have other fine facilities for your reception, but the others would be either much too large or far too small. The Verandah Grill is almost the perfect fit for your reception." He handed them a brochure, "Here are some pictures for you to get a better idea of the beauty of this room."

Both Niki and Sheldon studied the brochure closely and Sheldon commented, "It is quite nice, and I love the fact that our guests can wander outside for a breath of fresh air on the Sun Deck. What do you think, Niki?"

Niki was still looking at the brochure and smiled as she viewed it, "I love this. That deck is the perfect place to take wedding pictures. And the sunken dance floor is perfect for dancing. Yes, this is the room. Are we agreed on this, Sheldon?"

"Agreed."

Don still couldn't believe how easy this couple was to deal with, "Now, what is the color scheme for your wedding?"

Niki finally looked up at the man and told him, "Blue, green, and white. Like the ocean."

The Planner gave them a pleasant smile, 'Very nice. Now, here are some bouquets, dinnerware, cakes, and table cloths that correspond nicely with your theme."

Sheldon began to look bored and zoned out while Niki's interest was increasing, "I want blue, green, and white carnations for the bouquets, with a bit of Baby's Breath thrown in. Does that work with the theme? Can you do that?"

"Very easily, in fact, that is one of the simplest requests we have had lately."

Niki pointed excitedly to one of the pictures, "Sheldon, look at this cake! It's three tiered and ombre in the colors we love!"

Don added, "We can also decorate it according to your wishes. What are your interests?"

Sheldon woke up from his trance, "We're both physicists."

The man drew a blank, "And you would like to decorate your cake with…?"

Niki was stumped. They had never discussed this issue. She said, "I'm not sure. Sheldon? Do you have any ideas?"

He sighed and decided he wanted to get this over with quickly, so he asked her, "How about starfish and other assorted ocean life on the sides and a traditional bride and groom on top?"

Niki shook her head in a decisive manner, "No, Sheldon. I'm fine with the aquatic life forms, but I don't want traditional. I've got it! How about both of us standing inside a Bohr atom model? That would be cool!"

He woke up a bit more. Atoms were something he was far more interested in than a mere cake. "Niki, we could make up the nucleus! Very good." He turned to the man behind the desk, "Yes! Let me sketch it for you, sir." He began to draw what his mind had envisioned.

The man nodded, "That's different, but interesting. Yes, this should present no problem at all. You should see some of the requests we get. Now here are some place settings for you to study."

Sheldon once again tuned out, but Niki replied, "I love the robin's egg blue plates that fade to white in the center. Those are lovely and will go well with my dress."

"Ahh! Mr. Cooper, have you seen her dress?"

Sheldon briefly came to, "Not yet, but she has described it to me. And dear Lord, it's Dr. Cooper, not Mr."

Niki warned him, "Sheldon, be nice. It's going to be a simple silk slip dress that starts off blue on the bottom, goes to a light green around the hips, and at the top is white. I think that resembles the colors of the ocean quite nicely."

Don smiled at Niki, he liked her very much. He wasn't sure yet about her male counterpart. "It sounds very nice and very simple. Is this a first marriage for either of you?"

Even Sheldon's voice sounded bored as he responded, 'No, it is a second marriage for both of us."

Don decided to move on to another topic. Maybe Sheldon would actually show a little enthusiasm for his bachelor party. "Very good. Now, we can also host your rehearsal dinner the night before and following the dinner, your bachelor and bachelorette parties. We can set you up at separate bars or have you together. What would you prefer?"

"Separate. I think that works best, don't you Sheldon?"

Sheldon was resurrected, "Oh yes. I do believe the boys and I may get a bit too rowdy for the ladies."

Don barely managed to suppress a laugh at the idea of this nerd and his friends going wild. His lady, on the other hand… "Sir, it has been my experience that the ladies often outdo their male counterparts for rowdy."

Niki rubbed her hands together, threw a smirk in Sheldon's direction and said, "I'm all about that and with Penny, your mother, and Bernadette among the guests I can almost guarantee it. Now, let's get down to planning the actual ceremony. I see here you can get married on the Sun Deck under a gazebo. That sounds nice. What do you think, Sheldon?"

Sheldon sighed; by this time he just wanted to go home. But at least he and Niki were both planning this wedding together and not having someone make all the decisions for them, he was happy about that. He told Niki and Don, "As long as it's legal and all our friends and family can be there, I don't care where on this ship we get married. But if you like that idea, Niki, I have no problem with it."

Niki nodded, "Well, that settles that. Are we finished here? Sheldon and I have something else we have to take care of today."

Don put away his notes and looked at the brainy couple in front of him, "All I will need is your guest list, menu choice, and seating arrangements you decide on. I need those by the middle of March at the latest. Can you guys do that?

Sheldon smiled, the first time in a quite a few minutes, "Guest lists and seating arrangements are Niki's territory. She's very good at that."

Niki rolled her eyes and responded, "Thanks a lot, Sheldon. I'll get both of those things to you by March first, Don."

They all rose and shook hands and then Niki and Sheldon made their way to their car.

Sheldon recalled something she had said and asked her, "What is that 'something else' we need to do today? I was of the belief that we were going home."

Niki decided to apply psychology to make him more agreeable to this plan, much as she had used it to get him to rollerblade and dance with her. "Sheldon, one car isn't cutting it anymore. We need to get you a vehicle of your own." When she saw him about to lodge a protest she added, "You need to able to go to your friends' houses or to the comic book store whenever you want to, not just when I don't need the car. You will have more Halo nights, more freedom to spend that gift certificate for Stuart's store that I gave you, and the ability to just jump in the car and go for a drive if that's what you want to do."

He considered her words for a moment and then asked her, "What make of car will we be looking at?"

"That's up to you. It's going to be your car."

Sheldon grinned broadly, placed his hand over hers and said, "Niki, you have a very nice sedan, but I don't want one of those."

That was a surprise to her. She had always figured that Sheldon would be the conservative sedan kind of guy. She had to ask him, "Okay. What do you want us to look at?"

He gave one of his hiccoughing laughs and told her, "A Mini Cooper. What else? Now, let's be on our way. I've had my eye on one at a dealership in Glendale for a few weeks now."

Niki gave a chuckle and started the car, "I should have known. A Mini Cooper for Dr. Cooper it is."

It was late in the afternoon by the time Sheldon and Niki made their way to the BMW dealership and asked to look at some Mini Coopers. Sheldon's eye was caught by a very nice blue and white model. When the salesperson asked him if he'd like to take it for a test drive, Sheldon jumped into the car before the poor man had a chance to finish his sentence. Niki waited back at the dealership for them to return. She couldn't really picture Sheldon driving around town in a car like that. But, then again, he was nothing if not eccentric.

When they finally returned after about fifteen minutes, Sheldon exited the car and shook his head. "No, this isn't the car for me. I am much too tall and my legs are far too long for me to be comfortable driving this vehicle for any amount of time."

Niki asked him, "Do you want to look at some other BMW models?"

He shook his head, "No. During one of our talks, Kelly Wollowitz kept telling me how much she admired you car. She says Audi's are one of the best cars on the road today. Is she correct?"

She laughed to herself at the idea of Sheldon taking advice on buying a car from a nine-year-old girl. She then told him, "Audi's are fine cars, but so are BMWs, Mercedes, Volvos, Toyotas, and Hondas. You can't go wrong with any of those."

"Why did you pick an Audi?"

She shrugged, "Paul had an uncle who worked for Audi. The whole fam damily drove them. I bought this car right before he died. It's got a few more years left on it. I don't buy cars often and with an Audi, I don't have to. They last forever. But I'm not saying I'm committed to the brand or anything like that. You could do worse, though. I've really had no complaints with the car."

Sheldon thought a bit and then asked her, "Could we, perhaps, go to an Audi dealership and have a look around?"

"Sure, Sheldon. I think there's one right up the street."

They went to the Audi dealership and walked around for quite some time, looking at several models. Finally, Niki had to ask him, "Sheldon, what kind of car are you looking for exactly?"

Sheldon explained to her, "I want something sporty, to impress my friends. I also want something with a back seat, so I can take all of them with me to paintball or the comic book store. But I don't want a boring sedan."

Niki nodded thoughtfully and told him, "I think I know what car you will love. Follow me."

Sheldon followed her to the sales office and she asked one of the salesmen, "Can you show us some of your A8s?

The salesman's eyes lit up and he sounded very enthusiastic as he told them, "You're in luck. We've just got the latest models in this week. Sir, what color do you prefer, or is this car for the little woman?"

Niki glared at the salesman while Sheldon answered, "This automobile will be for me. Silver, black, or red would do nicely." He thought for a second and added, "Though I do love blue. But for a sporty car? Silver or red." To Niki he whispered, _"Why is he acting so giddy?"_

Niki whispered back, _"Because the A8 is a very expensive car. His commission will be huge. Can you afford one?"_

 _"Oh. How expensive?"_

 _"He's giddy, isn't he? That should tell you something. How are you planning on paying for this? They cost a lot of money."_

 _"Credit card. Plus, we make a decent salary now. I can swing this fairly easily."_

The salesman led them to a very nice silver Audi with black leather interior and a snazzy red one with cream colored seats inside. Niki and Sheldon studied them both. "Which would you choose?" He asked her.

"Color doesn't matter to me. My car is plain old brown. If I had to choose, I'd want the one with the lighter interior. The seats will be less hot when you get inside. Black seats are murder in the summer."

Sheldon asked the salesman, "Would it be possible to get a silver one with a light interior?"

"We have a model here with light grey interior. Would that work?"

One hour later, after completing all of the paperwork, Sheldon followed Niki home, driving his brand new silver Audi with the grey interior. When they reached the house, Sheldon honked the horn and both Leonard and Penny came out to admire his purchase. "That's one hot car, Sweetie." Penny told him.

Leonard circled the car, entranced. "Can I get a ride in it, buddy?"

"Of course. I was thinking of going to pick up Wolowitz and Koothrappali and heading over to the comic book store."

Leonard ran back towards the house, "Just let me grab my jacket, I'll be right back."

Penny looked at Niki and commented, "There's nothing like a new car to raise their testosterone level, is there?"

Niki fist bumped her, "You got it sister. I know I'll probably be kept pretty busy when he finally gets home tonight."

"Yeah, I was sore for two days after Leonard bought his last car."

 **Well, the wedding plans are almost finished, their paper is being published, and Sheldon has a new car. What's next for them? How about an invitation from Cal Tech?**


	49. Chapter 49

Chapter 49: The A Team

 **You thought the gang had heard the last from Cal Tech? Guess again.**

Niki was in her office going through her mail the Tuesday morning after they had gotten Sheldon his car. She breathed a sigh of relief that their wedding plans were almost finalized, Sheldon now had transportation of his own, and their paper was soon going to be published. This would give her a little bit of down time before the craziness of the lecture tour and final wedding prep began. This relaxed state of mind would not last very long, however. She was jolted to attention and did a double take when she saw an envelope from Cal Tech addressed to her and Sheldon. Curious, she reached for the letter opener on her desk. What the envelope contained caused her to be both worried and excited. She took the letter and walked over to the door connecting her office with Sheldon's and knocked. "Sheldon, are you busy?"

His voice came through from the other side of the door, "No, I'm not particularly busy at the moment. Is something the matter?

"I'm not sure. I have a letter in my hand from Cal Tech addressed to both of us. Did you get one?"

He opened the door, "Not that I'm aware of. What could they possibly want with us?"

Niki explained to him, "They're hosting the International Physics Bowl this year and we've just received an invitation to participate."

Sheldon took her hand and drew her into his office, "Why on earth would they do that? Oh yes, our article. By the time this event takes place our research will be well known throughout academia. It will be a feather in their cap if we attend."

"So, are we? Going to accept the invitation, I mean."

He shrugged his shoulder nonchalantly as if the matter was of no importance to him. But his eyes said otherwise, as they were glowing a rich cobalt blue, "I don't see why not. It will be a good way to draw attention to our little organization. Let me run it by Raj, Howard and Leonard and I'll get back to you."

Niki turned and headed back to her office, "Okay, just don't wait too long. We have to give them an answer by next Monday. The Physics Bowl is going to be held the first week in February."

Sheldon called after her, "I'll let you know by tonight. The idea of going back there intrigues me. The fact that we would totally annihilate the competition intrigues me even more."

Niki threw him a doubtful look, "You're sure of that, are you? There will be amazing physicists from all over the world competing in that thing."

Sheldon assumed an air of supreme confidence and general superiority, "We will most definitely come out on top. Between the two of us and Leonard, Raj, and Howard, we make up a most formidable team."

Niki stopped walking and turned back to face him, "One problem there, kiddo."

"What is that?"

Niki calmly pointed out to him, "Each team has to be comprised of six members and we are only five."

Sheldon met her seriousness with a sly grin, "Leave that to me. I think I have a solution. Can I get back to you later today, Niki?"

She turned back towards the door, "Sure. Just don't leave me hanging, okay?"

"I'll inform you of what's going on by dinner time at the latest. I have an idea I have to run by the other guys and then I'll present it to you for your approval."

Niki walked through the door and back into her own office, "Okay. I'll check back with you later. Good luck on your idea. I so want to kick ass in front of Siebert."

Sheldon gave a small laugh to no one in particular, "Oh we will, Niki. We will."

Sheldon straightened his desk, grabbed the letter from Cal Tech, and headed down the hall to find Raj. Much to his surprise and relief he found both Leonard and Howard in Raj's office, discussing who would be making the run to go get lunch.

"Dude, I got it yesterday. It's your turn."

Leonard excused himself with, "Hey, I'd love to, but I'm right in the middle of finalizing my research. Yours is done and published. You have more free time than I do."

Raj turned to Howard, "What about you? You haven't gone in awhile."

Howard met his words with a classic excuse, "Sorry, my car's in the shop getting serviced. I won't have it back until this afternoon. You can only put off a tire rotation and oil change for so long."

Raj sighed, "I guess I'll go by myself then and leave you guys to starve."

"Get off it, Raj. Niki would be glad to make something for us. And if she can't, the kitchen is right downstairs. I'd hardly say we'll starve."

"Hey, that kitchen belongs to me and Penny, Howard. You can't just go in there and help yourself."

Howard's smile mocked him, "Oh yeah? Watch me."

Sheldon was finding it exceedingly difficult to stay quiet and watch from the doorway. When he could no longer stand the nonsense, he interjected himself into their conversation, "Gentlemen, settle down. I will take us all to lunch in Pasadena. I have an important matter I wish to discuss with all of you."

Howard asked him hopefully, "Is it going to be your treat?"

"Wolowitz, I believe I am doing quite enough by being the driver. But it's your choice. You won't find much to eat in Leonard's kitchen, I'm afraid. Niki and I had dinner with him and Penny last night and between the four of us, we polished off most of their leftovers. By the way, Leonard, leftover night is on me and Niki next time."

Leonard smiled and nodded, "Sure thing, buddy. Look, let's go with Sheldon and each pay for ourselves. At least we'll get a ride in his new car."

Raj grinned, "That car does kick ass, Sheldon."

Howard agreed, "I suppose I could pay for myself just this once."

Leonard looked at him and sighed, "And that's about all it will be, just this once." For a man who was, for the most part, extremely generous, Howard had a reputation for having extremely deep pockets when it came to paying for lunch.

Sheldon once again interrupted them, "Please, let's stop our bickering. I really do have something important I want to run by all of you."

Raj asked him, "Why don't you just tell us now?'

"What, and deprive you all of another chance to check out my 'new ride'? I hardly think so."

Leonard was the first to capitulate, "Okay, okay. Let us get our wallets and we'll meet you out by your car."

As they sat in a large booth in their favorite Thai restaurant, Sheldon filled them in on the invitation to take part in that year's Physics Bowl.

Raj made the first comment, "It sounds like it could be fun, but at Cal Tech?"

Howard agreed with his friend, 'Yeah, why do they even want to see us again? Especially after how you guys pounded Siebert in court."

Leonard made a steeple out of his fingers and then told them, "I could be wrong, but I do believe it has something to do with a certain paper that is about to be published. I hear it's getting a lot of attention in the science world."

Sheldon smiled at his buddy, "Exactly, Leonard. They need us there to give the whole affair an air of legitimacy. If they left us out, too many questions would be asked and that could prove embarrassing for them."

Howard voiced his opinion, "I say we do it. What do we have to lose?"

Sheldon held up a hand and cautioned them, "Not so fast, gentlemen. The rules say each team must consist of six members. As of this minute, we are only five. Me, you three, and Niki, that makes five. We need one more team member or we can't participate."

Howard made a suggestion, "How about Bernie?"

"That's a fine idea, but Bernadette is not a physicist. The invitation states that all team members must work in the field of physics in some way. If you hadn't gone to the Space Station you wouldn't even have qualified, Howard. We need a bona fide physicist."

They all sat and stared blankly at Sheldon. No one had any suggestions until he spoke up, "Raj, what does Amanda do for a living?"

He looked at Sheldon as if he were daft, "She's a professor. Remember?"

Sheldon ignored him and continued, "Of what, may I ask?"

"Astrophysics…wait, I think I see where you're going with this. You know, that could work. But she would have to agree with it. We're going to have to meet after work pretty often and she still has papers to grade and lectures to prepare."

Sheldon grinned at them, "Nothing that a group of prominent physicists couldn't help her with. Am I correct, gentlemen?"

Raj pulled out his phone, "Let me text her right now. She may like the idea. She loves showing off her intelligence."

Sheldon teased him, "Ah, a woman after my own heart. You're lucky, Koothrappali, that Niki has already laid claim to it."

"Dude, you wouldn't have a chance in hell with Amanda."

Sheldon was a bit miffed, "And pray tell why not?"

Raj sighed, "Not to be insulting, but she says you look like a cross between a praying mantis and C-3Po."

Leonard and Howard nodded in agreement, "That's about right." Howard said.

"But she also says you're the smartest person she's ever met. So for a chance to do this with you, yeah, I think I can talk her into it. This could really help her; she's up for tenure this year."

Sheldon was somewhat mollified by the smartest person comment, so he let the physical comparisons go. "Work on her, Raj. She would be a valuable asset to our team. Niki and I have had the chance to talk physics with her on occasion and she is quite capable of holding her own with our group."

A loud chime was heard, "Dude, she just returned my text."

Sheldon leaned in towards Raj, "What did she say?"

His face broke out into a huge smile, "She said, _Hell yeah!_ I think we're good to go."

Sheldon settled back into the booth, "Excellent. Now, that we have secured our sixth member, I do believe it is time we ordered our lunch."

That evening, when Niki and Sheldon sat down for dinner, she asked him, "How did it go with the guys this afternoon?"

Sheldon lifted his fork to his mouth, stopped, and answered her, "Very well, indeed. They are all on board with this team we are putting together. We have worked out a schedule for studying for the event. Tuesday and Thursday evenings and Saturday afternoons. If we find we need more we can always add Friday afternoon to the mix."

Niki gave him a sly grin, "I see you left Wednesday night free and Sunday mornings as well."

He addressed her comment in a somber voice that showed his seriousness on the subject, "Wednesday's Halo night. I never miss Halo night unless there is an emergency. Sunday mornings are for paintball or laser tag. Some things you don't mess with, Niki."

She cocked an eyebrow and asked him, "Not even for science, huh?"

Sheldon put his fork down on his plate, "Now you're just trying to make me feel guilty."

Niki gave a soft chuckle and reassured him, "Don't be. I see you've left Friday nights free, also. Sheldon, Girls Night Out is sacred to me, also."

"And useful. That self defense class you took with the other women got you out of a very uncomfortable situation on Christmas Eve."

Niki gave him a smug grin and said, "Never underestimate the power of a woman, even if she does weigh only one hundred twenty pounds."

Sheldon looked up from his plate, disbelieving what he has just heard, "Is that all you weigh? Let me check that statement for accuracy." He got up from the table, "Follow me into the bathroom."

"Why?"

He looked down at her and replied, "I want you to step on the scale. We will see how accurate your declaration was."

Niki stayed in her seat, "Sheldon! I will not follow you to the bathroom. Dinner is sitting here and it will get cold if we leave."

"This will only take a moment. Please, NIki. Humor me." His eyes met hers and they became very blue. Niki stared into those eyes and all her reservations vanished.

"Very well." She got up and followed him into the bathroom. Stepping on the scale she saw that she actually weighed one hundred and seventeen pounds. At five feet nine inches tall, that was much too thin and she told him so.

Sheldon reminded her, "It's not so bad to be a tad on the thin side right now. Niki, you will put on some weight during the lecture tour. I've been on a few and let me warn you, we will be eating mostly in restaurants or having fast food delivered to our hotel rooms. Good times."

Niki sighed, "If you say so. Speaking of eating, we have dinner waiting for us on the table out there." She turned to leave the bathroom but not before Sheldon took her into his arms.

"Did I ever tell you that you are perfect for me, no matter how many pounds the scale reveals you are?"

She kissed his cheek and attempted to return to the dining room, "Sheldon, that's sweet. But I'm hungry."

He gave her a slow, sensuous, kiss, "For what?"

"My dinner, you crazy man."

"I'm not crazy…"

She finished his sentence for him, "I know, I know, your mother had you tested. Now, can we get back to…oh my" Sheldon's hands moved across her back and down to her buttocks.

He softly nuzzled her neck, "What? Am I bothering you?"

"Only if our food gets cold."

He removed her top and caressed her breasts while telling her, "That is why the microwave oven was developed by Perry Spencer, for situations such as this."

Niki pressed herself tightly against Sheldon, wrapped her arms around his neck, and joked, "Oh sure, he came up with the idea while he was playing with his wife's boobs. Uh huh."

He grinned at her wickedly, "I wonder if she was enjoying it as much as you are."

Niki led him to the bed and replied, "I sincerely hope so. To Mr. Perry Spencer, thank you very, very, much. Dinner? We will see you again in a little while."

Both Niki and Sheldon lay back in bed, sated and satisfied. Niki wondered why the first few minutes after lovemaking were so peaceful. It wasn't just catching your breath, though that happened. It was just that feeling of the world being exactly where and how it was supposed to be that only happened after two lovers had been intimate. It had always been this way with Sheldon from the beginning. After their very first time together she had wanted nothing more from the world for several hours. And that hadn't changed one iota in the last year. Wait. She sat up in bed and did some mental calculations while Sheldon glanced up at her. Yes, she was correct. How time had flown.

"Sheldon?"

His eyes closed, "Hmmm, yes?" he mumbled sleepily, dinner completely forgotten.

She shook him lightly, "Do you realize we met each other exactly one year ago today?"

His eyes flew open, "Good lord, has it been that long? I guess it has. Well, happy anniversary." His eyes closed once more.

Niki ran her fingers through his hair and caressed his forehead, "Sheldon, it's not our technical anniversary. We didn't become a couple until your birthday. It's just that one year ago today I walked into your office and met a very brilliant, very difficult, very set in his ways, very wonderful man with the bluest eyes I had ever seen."

His eyes opened slightly and he smiled at the memory, "And I met a very sassy, very stubborn, very intelligent, very wonderful woman with the most adorable freckled face in the world. We're even." He sat up and kissed her on the cheek.

She reminded him with a soft laugh, "Who you had no intention whatsoever of working with."

He chuckled to himself, "You and Raj wore me down. Thank goodness."

"I'm still very impressed by your mind, you know."

"And I by yours." Sheldon reached for his robe," Say, not to change the subject, but do you think we should go heat up dinner? I have just realized I am exceedingly hungry."

Niki searched for her underwear, "As am I. Good sex will do that to you."

"Good sex? Good sex? Woman, Sheldon Cooper gives you nothing but the greatest sex!"

Niki found her underwear, then searched for her top, "Okay, but can I say we give each other the greatest sex? There are two people involved here, you know."

Sheldon found his slippers and put them on, "Very well. We have great sex together. How is that?"

Niki swung her legs off the bed, and then paused, "Perfect. Now, for some dinner. Wait."

"Whatever for?"

She turned to him and said, "You haven't told me who the sixth member of our team is going to be."

A mischievous grin played across his face, "I haven't, have I? Maybe I'll just keep that a secret."

Niki nodded thoughtfully, "I see. Well, maybe I won't make you pizza tomorrow night like I promised."

His smile crinkled the corners of his eyes, "Okay, Miss Smarty Pants. Take a guess as to who is joining us."

"Not Bernie?" She asked him.

"No."

She giggled, "Not your mother?"

"Be serious, Niki. No."

"Not Stuart?" She could barely keep a straight face by this point.

Sheldon rolled his eyes and began to get frustrated, "Niki, quit being silly. No, not Stuart. Good lord! Stuart? What's the matter with you, woman?"

Niki tapped her chin, "Let's see…how about a hint."

"Okay. It's a female."

"That narrows it down. Only a few billion of those in the world."

Sheldon sighed heavily, "You know her."

Niki's eyes shone with glee, she loved torturing him like this, "Penny?"

Sheldon finally snapped at her, "Oh for goodness sake, not Penny!"

"Okay, who's left? Not your sister?"

His eyes narrowed and him lips became thin, "Niki, I'm beginning to get annoyed with your groundless suggestions."

Niki knew when to stop, so she asked him, "All right, I'll take an honest guess. Amanda?"

"That's right. Raj asked Amanda and she is very excited to do this with us."

Niki placed her hand on his arm and squeezed it softly, "That's wonderful! She's a very knowledgeable astrophysicist. I believe she is the perfect addition to our team."

"Good. Niki?"

"Yes dear?"

Sheldon kissed her nose, all frustration forgotten, "Can we go back out to the dining room and eat our dinner? After we have reheated it, of course."

Niki looked at Sheldon sweetly and then bounded out of bed, "Your read my mind Cooper. Last one out there does the dishes!"

 **What do you think of the team that has been assembled for the Physics Bowl? Do you think they stand a chance against some of the best scientists in the country, or even the world? How will Amanda fit in with everyone else? Read the next chapter and find out.**


	50. Chapter 50

Chapter 50: The Physics Bowl

 **One of the minor characters in this story gets her chance to shine and spotlight her out-of-the-box thinking. Will this hurt or help the group as a whole? Will Sheldon go along with her plans?**

Over the next several weeks, the team of six met at least twice per week, mostly at Sheldon and Niki's house, but twice at Howard's.

At their first meeting, Sheldon had announced, "While all of us here are well versed in all areas of physics, I think it is in our best interests if we each concentrate on our personal areas of expertise. "

Niki explained further, "Sheldon and I put our heads together and divided us up according to our individual strengths. If any of you have any questions or complaints about this, please let us know. This is only a rough draft."

Sheldon read off of a paper in front of him, "Here is what we came up with: Astrophysics will be Raj, Amanda, and Niki. Biophysics is the responsibility of Raj. Chaos theory is my department. Chemical physics will be the baby of Raj and Amanda. Cosmology will naturally be Amanda and Raj, also. Electromagnetism will belong to Howard and Leonard. Fluid dynamics is, of course, me and Leonard. Geophysics, oh god, will be the property of Amanda and Raj. Good luck with that, you two. There is no one better suited for representing us at laser physics than Leonard. Mathematical physics will be the sole responsibility of me and Leonard. Mechanics, there is no one better at that then Howard. Meteorology will belong to Amanda, Niki, and Howard. Now, molecular physics is best done by Raj and Niki, while nanotechnology is for me and Raj to focus on. Nuclear physics, well, that has to be me. Particle physics is where Raj and Amanda will shine the brightest, so it's theirs. Plasma physics is a great area for Niki and Raj to excel at. Quantum optics, is there anyone better suited for this area than Raj? I thought not. Next is quantum electrodynamics which has Niki's name all over it. Who studies light more closely than Niki? Quantum gravity could be any of us, but I believe Leonard can handle it with ease. Relativity is the same, but I want to tackle that myself, with Niki's help, of course. String theory has always been my focus, so I will take that and thermodynamics is the sole property of Howard. He is the best at that discipline. So, I have printed out this list and if any of you disagree, tell us. We want to win this thing and we're all in this together. "

Howard had a question, "Where is Sheldon Cooper and what have you done with him? "

"Very funny, Howard. I have realized that I have some amazing scientific talent surrounding me at this table and I wish to utilize it in the best way possible. We are going to show Siebert just how badly he is an inclined plane wrapped helically around an axis."

Raj responded, "So you want to win this just to prove to Siebert he's screwed?"

Sheldon grinned and nodded, 'Yes. Do any of you have a problem with that?"

They all shook their heads. Embarrassing Siebert was like a wet dream for all of them except Amanda, but she gladly went along with their plan after Raj had explained to her just how awful Merla and her uncle had been to them.

After that, every chance they had, the friends would divide into their groups and focus on their areas of physics. They were all very accomplished in their individual areas so there was not much actual studying to be done. It was more like them quizzing each other than anything else. One night, Amanda brought up a subject they had not thought given much thought to, their team's name and theme. Every team in the competition was required to have one.

"What are we going to call ourselves? I know people think of scientists as being rather nerdy and boring, so I want us to go counter to that stereotype. I don't see any boring people here at all." They all nodded in response.

Howard volunteered, "Maybe the ladies can dress as sexy as possible."

Amanda smiled at him and then added, "Let's take that one step further. Maybe the guys can do that as well."

Niki was curious, so she asked her, "What do you have in mind?"

Amanda outlined her plan, "Leather. We all dress in black leather. I want us to look like anything but nerds. It doesn't have to be real leather. We can get some really high quality pleather and no one will know the difference."

Sheldon had his doubts, "So you want us to look like a motorcycle club?"

'Kind of. Hear me out. We all wear black leather motorcycle jackets with as many zippers, chains, and studs as we can fit on each one. We'll need edgy hats, too."

Niki was getting very interested in Amanda's idea, "What kind of hats?"

Amanda expounded on her creations, "I can see Sheldon and Raj in dark fedoras and Leonard and Howard in black watch caps."

Niki liked what her mind was picturing, "What about us, Amanda?"

"We will be wearing black leather newsboy hats with lots of silver bling on them. Us biatches will be stylin'!"

Sheldon frowned and interrupted them, "Are we participating in a physics bowl or impersonating the Village People? We want to be seen as serious scientists, not as sex symbols."

Amanda shrugged and countered his argument with, "Why not both? Look, do you guys want to put your little place up there in Altadena on the scientific map or not? To do so, you've got to be different, edgy, and make people remember you."

Shedon acidly remarked, "Or laugh at you."

"No, if we win, no one will be laughing. By next year, every physicist in America will be decked out in leather. Look, are we nerds or sexy scientists who are putting a new face on physics?"

Niki spoke up, "I don't know, Sheldon, but I like what she's saying."

Leonard seemed uncertain, "But leather?"

Niki looked at Sheldon, "Leather turns me on big time."

He nodded and announced, "Then it's settled. Leather it is."

Raj asked, "But what will we call ourselves?"

Amanda asked Niki, "Are you familiar with AC/DC?"

"Sure. They used to be one of my favorite groups."

"Well, how does Back in Black sound as a name for our team?"

Howard gave it some thought and then gave his opinion, "Well, we are going back to Cal Tech, and we will be dressed in black. Sure, I'll go along with that."

Sheldon was confused, "I am not familiar with either that group or that song."

"Well, there's no time like the present to learn." Amanda played him the song on a You Tube video which showed the lyrics.

Sheldon was taken aback, "Now we're going to be a rock band?"

"No, we will be a team of scientists that is going to set the world on fire. Think of it, this is completely outside the box."

Howard nodded his head and gave a small chuckle, "I'll say."

Amanda made her argument stronger, "Don't you think People magazine and the national media will eat this up if we win? This is an international competition. That Nobel will be yours for the taking."

Sheldon thought about it but still wasn't convinced. "If we lose, we'll look like a bunch of clowns."

Niki pushed her chair back and stood up to address the group,

"If we lose? I don't know about the rest of you, but I have no intention of losing anything to anyone. At this table we have five of the best and brightest physicists in the country. I say we go kick some scientific ass!"

Leonard was unsure, also, "In leather?" he stammered.

Amanda responded, "Yeah, in leather. And with an AC/DC theme song in the background."

Sheldon argued, "Something like that has never been done before."

Niki high fived Amanda, "All the more reason to do it. What do you all say? Are we dweeby nerds or physisexicists?"

They all smiled at Niki's new word and replied, "We are physisexicists!"

Before they all knew it, the day of the Physics Bowl had arrived. They felt well prepared as far as the subject matter, but their unusual attire had all of them but Amanda and Niki uncomfortable. The men were dressed in their studded leather jackets and dark jeans. Sheldon and Raj wore their fedoras at a rakish tilt and looked every bit like trouble. Leonard and Howard wore the dark watch caps with just the right angle and attitude to give the appearance of a couple of bad guys with swagger. Amanda had paired her jacket with a black leather newsboy cap, as had Niki. The only difference between the two ladies' outfits was that Amanda had accompanied her jacket with a short, extremely tight, black leather skirt and a low cut top, while Niki had opted for a blazing red tube top and skintight black leather pants with knee high boots. The girls both looked extremely sexy and they knew it. The men, however, felt otherwise.

Howard looked down at his leather outfit and told the group, "I know we're supposed to go in there and present ourselves as serious bad asses, but that's really not us. Face it; we're nerds of the first order." The rest of the men nodded in agreement.

Niki walked over to him and said, "Howard, we are NOT nerds. We are intelligent, sexy, people who are going to turn the world of physics on its head. Look, do you remember all the hurtful things Merla said to you regarding your looks?"

"Of course I do. And she was right."

Niki shook her head, looked all the men over, and began to speak, "No. She was wrong. Dead wrong. Just look at you guys. Leonard and Howard, you are both married to two of the most beautiful women I have ever seen. No nerd completely lacking any game would have been able to snag a date with, much less marry, ladies of that caliber. Jesus, Leonard. Your wife is a beautiful woman who just wrapped up a starring role in a major play in Los Angeles. Does that sound like the wife of a nerd? Not in this lifetime. You are two funny, sexy, adorable men who are NOT nerd material. Now Raj, is there a more beautiful woman on this planet, with the possible exception of Penny, than your fiancé over there? Of course nerds always date tall, brainy, brunettes with exotic green eyes and large bosoms. NOT. And Sheldon, I'm not the beauty the others are, but I'm not chopped liver, either. Also, I'd put my sexy up against anyone's, and I do mean anyone's. When I turn it on, I've been known to cause ripple effect erections fifty feet away. Sheldon, true nerds most often do NOT get women who are that sexy and sensual. So, let me repeat myself. You guys are not in any way, shape, or form nerdy. In fact, you all look rather hot to me."

Penny entered the room and caught the last part of Niki speech. "She's right. I'm looking at you guys and none of you look like geeky physicists. You look kind of like members of a metal band. You all look fairly hot and handsome. I'm being honest. Bad asses? Maybe not. Sexy? Hell yeah! And look at Amanda who's got her sultry working overtime today. Or Niki, whose legs beat anyone's I've ever seen. Just how long are those things, anyway? Love the skintight leather pants, by the way. Look guys, between Amanda and Niki, the other teams aren't even going to be able to concentrate on science. Their minds will be elsewhere and the men will be saying to themselves, 'Damn, wish I was tapping that!' So go out there looking drop dead hunky and then let those brains loose and wipe the floor with the competition. You can do this, really."

Amanda urged them on, "C'mon guys, it's time to rock and roll. In the next eight hours, the six of us are going to drill every team we meet a new one. There ARE no better brains in science than the ones right in front of me. Now boys, let's go kick some physics ass!"

What could the men do when their women were so solidly behind them? They left for the Physics Bowl fully prepared to be trouble for any team that crossed their path.

The day started with them meeting much inferior opponents. They kept their posturing under wraps and toned down their outfits by wearing the jackets without the hats or attitudes. As they advanced through the rounds with comparative ease, their confidence increased. Sheldon was pleasantly surprised at how on point they all were, but he was especially pleased with Howard. Once the competition began the NASA engineer showed a very aggressive style that intimidated most of their opponents, while the raw sexuality of Niki and Amanda threw quite a few of the teams they faced off their game. Sheldon chuckled to himself whenever Niki licked her pouted lips or Amanda bent forward to better show off her amazing cleavage.

They were in a back room taking a break at mid day when Raj burst into the room. "Dudes, I think we may be in a lot of trouble."

Niki looked up from her phone and asked him, "Why is that, Raj?"

"Cal Tech has loaded their team. In the last semester they have invited famous physicists from all over the world to work as guest professors. It looks like Siebert means to beat us by any means possible."

Niki shrugged and smiled at her friend, "Raj, he can load his team all he wants. He doesn't have what we have."

"What's that?"

She looked confidently at her man, who was lost to the world while reading his comic book, "Sheldon Cooper. We could all go home and Sheldon could win this thing on his own. The only reason we are here is because the rules say there has to be six of us. Trust me, if Siebert wasn't scared of Sheldon, he wouldn't have stacked his team like he did."

Raj continued, "But besides those guys he has Barry Kripke. Now, none of us like the guy, but he's the only physicist I have ever met who could challenge Sheldon for brains. This isn't going to be easy if we meet them down the line."

Sheldon's head popped up from his comic book, "Kripke is on their team, hmmm? Fellas, I'm going for blood now. I don't care who they brought in, let's annihilate them. Are you with me on that?"

Leonard tried to sound confident, but failed, "Sure, Sheldon. I mean, I guess so."

Niki walked over to him and stared, "Leonard, man up. We are going to kill them. I know one of those guys Cal Tech brought in, Dr. Rojas. He's from somewhere in Spain and he used to come to Mt. Wilson once in awhile and try to hit on me in the most disgusting way. I'm with Sheldon. Let's show them how real physicists take apart their opponents."

Howard asked in a hopeful voice, "Will you and Amanda be pouring on the sex?"

"That and our brains. God, I love being female! "

Finally, the Finals of the Physics Bowl was about to take place. As expected, the two final teams were Cal Tech Gizmos and Pentagram's Back in Black.

Sheldon met with his team several minutes before they were to enter. " Amanda, do we enter with our music this time?"

"Yep, and Niki and I will be sexing the place up like no one's business."

Sheldon asked her, "Don't you think that is a bit much?"

Niki turned to him and said, "Have you forgotten about Merla or Barry Kripke?"

Sheldon relented quickly, "I see your point. Girls, grind away. We can take it."

Amanda laughed wickedly, "The question is, can they?"

Back in Black were waiting backstage for their introduction. They were all a little nervous, but Amanda made them all laugh by giving them an example of how she intended to use her curvaceous body to fluster the opposing team.

"Good one!" Niki exclaimed.

Amanda turned to Niki, "Now, what are you going to do?"

"Well, I'm not going to walk out, I'm going to strut. Might as well use these legs as a distraction."

Howard stared at her and commented, "And that they are."

"Howard," Sheldon warned him, "that's my almost wife you're talking about."

Howard agreed with him and then added, "Yeah, and she got legs that go on for miles. So what? You want me to lie?"

Sheldon shook his head, "No, no lies please. But always remember, she's taken."

"How could I forget? You two are all over each other all the time."

"Not now." Niki told him, "Now it's time to take care of some business. No room for smooching until it's over. "

They suddenly heard their intro music and Sheldon and Raj cocked their fedoras while Niki hiked her tube top down a bit and Amanda hiked her skirt up a ways. Leonard and Howard adjusted their watch caps and they all adjusted their attitudes to fit their attire. It was a sassy, edgy, sexy bunch that crossed the stage and lined up behind their table. During their entire entrance, Back in Black was blaring from speakers hung around the stage.

Back in black  
I hit the sack  
I've been too long I'm glad to be back  
Yes, I'm let loose  
From the noose  
That's kept me hanging about  
I've been looking at the sky  
'Cause it's gettin' me high  
Forget the hearse 'cause I never die  
I got nine lives  
Cat's eyes  
Abusin' every one of them and running wild

'Cause I'm back  
Yes, I'm back  
Well, I'm back  
Yes, I'm back  
Well, I'm back, back  
Well, I'm back in black  
Yes, I'm back in black

Back in the back  
Of a Cadillac  
Number one with a bullet, I'm a power pack  
Yes, I'm in a bang  
With a gang  
They've got to catch me if they want me to hang  
'Cause I'm back on the track  
And I'm beatin' the flack  
Nobody's gonna get me on another rap  
So look at me now  
I'm just makin' my play  
Don't try to push your luck, just get out of my way!

The staid members of the audience sat still, not clear on how to respond. However, the students from around the area who were in attendance cheered and some began to head bang.

Well, _they_ like it." Niki said to Amanda.

Amanda nodded and made the suggestion, "Let's let the men on the other team view the wares, shall we?"

Niki smiled wickedly and yawned and stretched, making herself look ten feet tall and also causing her tube top to slide even lower.

After both groups had made their entrances, a whispered conversation began on Cal Tech's team.

Dr. Gustafson from Sweden whispered to Kripke, _"Two girls? This should be a cakewalk, Barry."_

 _"Not weally. Dr. Coopuh could win this aww by himsewf."_

Dr. Rojas from Spain had to ask, _"But two ladies? Dressed in leather? The brunette looks like a Hooters employee."_

 _"I don't know who she is, but the othuh one is weally, weally, smawt. Like Coopuh smawt, almost anyway."_

 _Dr. Gustafson spoke again, "I don't know who the dark haired girl is, either. But damn, she's got a fine rack."_

Kripke explained in a worried voice, _"That's what they want you to concentwate on. Coopuh and his wady nevuh dwess like that. He's in newdy supuh hewo shiwts and she is in jeans, with no makeup."_

Dr. Spiel from the University of Heidelberg shot back, _"Well, she sure as hell is wearing makeup now! She's hot. Just look at those legs!"_

Barry warned them, _"Don't go thewe. They want you to do that."_

 _Rojas whistled softly, "Hello, the brunette is bending over. Shit!"_

 _Spiel was actually drooling, "And the blonde is walking over to help her. She's got some magnifico pins. Damn!"_

Kripke pleaded with them _, "Don't fall foh it fewwas, pwease."_

Dr. Virgina Spencer for Cal Tech frowned at the girls, _"They look like a couple of bimbos. You say the blonde is intelligent? I hardly think so."_

Barry replied, _"Think so. She's one of the pwimawy authows of that new papuh that's making a wot of noise watewy. I've seen the wady's wuhk. She dangewous."_

The announcer began to introduce the teams:

For the Cal Tech Gizmos from right here in Pasadena, California, the team members are as follows; Lead experimental physicist from the University of Heidelberg, Dr. Franklin Spiel. From Cal Tech, lead plasma physicist, Dr. Barry Kripke. From the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, lead astrophysicist, Dr. Gilbert Rojas. From Cal Tech, lead astrophysicist, Dr. Virginia Spencer. Lead theoretical physicist from the Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden, Dr. Lamar Gustafson. And finally, Nobel Prize winner, Dr. Albert Norton, from Cal Tech.

Some of the BIB members looked worried at the announcement of a Nobel winner on the opposing team until Sheldon whispered to them, _"The man shot his load with that Nobel Prize. He hasn't published a thing since."_

Next, the MC announced: Now, for the introduction of team Back in Black from the Pentagram Research Facility in Altadena, California. Their members are, lead theoretical physicist, Dr. Sheldon Cooper. Also from Pentagram Research Facility, lead astrophysicist, Dr. Nikita Horner. Another member of Pentagram Research Facility, lead experimental physicist, Dr. Leonard Hofstadter. Next in line is the lead plasma astrophysicist from Pentagram Research Facility, Dr. Rajesh Koothrappali. The next member of this team is Dr. Amanda Sawyer, departmental astrophysicist from the University of California, Los Angeles. Last, but certainly not least, is Mr. Howard Wolowitz, head aeronautics engineer, Pentagram Research facility by way of NASA. Drs. Cooper, Horner, and Koothrappali are the authors of an historic paper very recently published in the American Journal of Physics titled, Nulifying Gravitate et Spatium Itinerantur.

There was healthy applause for the Cal Tech home team, but the crowd, made up of many young science students and their friends went wild with loud hoots, cheers, and hollers for the team from Pentagram.

When the introductions and cheering were over, the competition between the top two teams began.

The MC began to speak to both teams, "Now, here are the rules: I will ask a question. Members of both teams will have thirty seconds to answer it by pressing the button in front of them. If the team that answers is correct, they get five points. If they are incorrect, the question passes to the other team who will then have thirty seconds to answer it. If they are correct, they will get two points. If they do not answer the question correctly, the question is discarded and no one receives any points. Are we clear on that?

Both teams nodded.

"Then here is the first question: At a point halfway between two identical point charges, the electric field is equal to:"

 _Buzz!_

"Mr. Wolowitz?"

"Zero."

"Correct! Next Question: Ten coulombs of positive charge are placed on an irregularly-shaped, solid piece of copper. Once the charge has stopped moving, the electric field inside the copper is:"

 _Buzz!_

"Mr. Rojas?" (Niki pretended to smooth out a wrinkle on her leather pants by running her hands down the length of them)

"Becoming smaller."

"Incorrect. Does anyone on Team Back in Black have this answer?"

 _Buzz!_

" Dr. Hofstadter?"

"The electric field is zero."

"Correct!" (Both Leonard and Sheldon gave the death stare to their opponents) "Next question: Ten coulombs of charge are placed on a solid copper sphere. Once the charge has come to rest, the ELECTRIC POTENTIAL inside the sphere is found to be:

 _Buzz!_

"Dr. Kripke?"

"It would be unifowm inside the sphewe and eqwoh to the ewectwic potenshow on the suwface of the sphewe."

"Correct! Next question. A current of 5 amps passes through a 10 ohm resistor. How many joules of energy will be generated by this resistor in 2 seconds?"

 _Buzz!_

"Dr. Sawyer?"

Amanda kept a dead pan face and answered, "500 JOULES."

"Correct!" (Gustafson muttered to himself, 'that was a simple math question. I wish I had beat that bimbo to the buzzer.')

"Next question. A charged particle is moving in a UNIFORM magnetic field. If the direction of motion of the charged particle is at right angles to the magnetic field, describe the shape of the charged particle's path."

 _Buzz!_

"Dr. Cooper?"

"The particle's path would be circular."

"Correct! Next question. Which law best describes the operation of an electric generator?"

 _Buzz!_

"Dr. Horner?"

"That would be Faraday's Law of Induction." (Niki gave her lips a sensuous lick and pouted)

(Team Gizmo began to look worried.)

"Correct! Next question. A wave and its reflection produce a standing wave with the distance from node to nearest antinode of 4 meters. The wavelength of this wave is:"

 _Buzz!_

"Dr. Gustafson?"

"Four meters."

"Incorrect. Team Back in Black?"

 _Buzz!_

"Dr. Hofstadter?"

"The wavelength would be sixteen meters. You forgot to square it, Lamar." (Sheldon began to chuckle to himself and reminded Leonard in a hushed voice of the time he published a paper which contained a multiplication mistake. Leonard frowned in response.)

"Correct! Next question. The wave nature of electrons was EXPERIMENTALLY verified by:"

 _Buzz!_

"Dr. Cooper?"

"Davisson and Germer."

"Correct! Next question. The Weber and the Maxwell are units of measure of:"

 _Buzz!_

"Dr. Spencer?"

"Magnetic flux." (She glared at Amanda and Niki)

"Correct! Next question. Diffraction and interference demonstrate what?"

 _Buzz!_

"Dr. Koothrappali?"

"The wave nature of light."

"Correct! Next question. During an INELASTIC collision, what happens to the colliding bodies:"

 _Buzz!_

"Dr. Horner?"

"They lose their kinetic energy." (Niki smiled in relief and thought, 'Damn, this has been easy peasy so far!')

"Correct! Next question. This planet's orbit gave proof of the superiority of Einstein's theory of gravity over Newton's."

Everyone buzzed, but the MC took the very first one.

"Dr. Spier?"

"That's easy. Mercury." (He checked out Amanda's bosom _after_ answering)

"Correct! Next question. For an electromagnetic wave traveling in a vacuum, if the magnitude of the intensity of the E field is zero, the magnitude of the intensity of the B field is:"

 _Buzz!_

"Dr. Sawyer?"

"It's zero." (She grinned. She had given her students that same question on a test)

"Correct!" (Dr. Spencer was not pleased) "Next question: The effective capacitance of four, 5-microfarad capacitors connected in series is:"

 _Buzz!_

"Dr. Cooper?"

"The answer is 1.25 Microfarad." (Niki was very proud of him for that answer to the toughest question so far)

"Correct! Next question: What is the way in which a galvanometer is converted into a voltmeter?"

 _Buzz!_

"Mr. Wolowitz?"

"You convert it by connecting a high resistance coil in series with its moveable coil."

"Correct! Here's the next question: When white light passes through a red plate of glass and then through a green plate of glass what occurs?"

 _Buzz!_

"Dr. Gustafson?"

"The light that emerges is a combo of red and green."

"Incorrect. Team Back in Black?" (They all looked in shock at Dr. Gustafson. Amanda just grinned and readjusted her top)

 _Buzz!_

"Dr. Hofstadter?"

"The light is totally absorbed."

"Correct! Next question: The acceleration due to gravity on the moon is 1.6 meters per second squared. If a pendulum is whose length is 6.4 meters is placed on the moon, its period will be:"

 _Buzz!_

"Dr. Koothrappali?"

"That's easy. It would be 12.56 seconds."

"Correct! We will now take a fifteen minute break and then return. When we do, the same rules will apply, but the point values for each question will be doubled. So, we will rejoin this battle of the best in just a few short minutes."

Sheldon, Niki, and their friends used this time to grab a drink and a snack. While doing this, they discussed the competition so far.

Niki was the first to speak, "I'm surprised at how easy the questions have been."

Sheldon, who had participated in more of these things than he cared to remember, responded with, "Don't worry; the questions will be getting more difficult in the second half. The final question is usually quite intense and involved. Brace yourselves. On the bright side, at this point in the competition we have a fairly comfortable lead. You all have been excellent. Outside of Dr. Norton, they have a panel of formidable scientists and we are having no problem bettering them. Of course, some thanks must go to the ladies," he looked over to Niki and Amanda," you have kept the male members of their team quite flustered. Keep it up, so to speak." He followed that with one of his strange little laughs.

They all exhaled and steeled themselves for the next round. Suddenly, they heard a bell ring. Niki sighed and said, "I guess that's our cue to get our asses back out there."

They all nodded their heads in agreement and walked out to the stage and once again took their assigned places at their table.

The MC opened the action with his usual forced gaiety and announced, "We're back for the second round of the Physics Bowl Final. I want to wish both our teams good luck and let's begin with the next question. (Sheldon grumbled, 'Luck has nothing to do with it. What an idiot.')

"Infrared rays are absorbed best by what?"

 _Buzz!_

"Dr. Horner?"

"Infared rays are best absorbed by black bodies with rough surfaces." (She flashed back to the day they took Merla to Leonard's lab to show her this)

"Correct!"

"The next question is, the type of wave that CANNOT be polarized is:"

 _Buzz!_

"Dr. Kripke?"

"Sound cannot be powawized."

"Correct! Here's the next question. It's a bit more challenging. In the mass spectrograph, two positively charged ions having the same velocity pass through a slit and enter a uniform magnetic field at right angles to their initial velocities. The ions will NOT be separated if:"

 _Buzz!_

"Dr. Sawyer?"

"They will not be separated if the ratios of their charges to their masses are equal." (God, could it get any easier? These were questions for undergrads.)

"Correct! Next question. There is evidence that quarks come in how many flavors?"

 _Buzz!_ Leonard barely beat out Sheldon for the buzzer.

"Dr. Hofstadter?"

"They come in six flavors."

"Correct! Extra two points if you can name them Dr. Hofstadter."

"Up, down, bottom, top, strange, and charm."

"Correct! Here's the next one boys and girls. Neutrinos are a subset of which category?"

 _Buzz!_

"Dr. Gustafson?"

"Leptons."

"Correct! Five extra points if you can tell me how many flavors Leptons have."

"Six, also."

"Correct! This competition is pretty close. Let's continue." (Dear Lord, it is not close. What a moron.) "To develop the correct mathematical description of the distribution of radiated energy of a blackbody with respect to wavelength for a given temperature, Planck found it necessary to assume that the molecular oscillators of the blackbody emitted and absorbed what?"

 _Buzz!_

"Dr. Horner?"

"Radiant energy in discrete units or quanta." (Thank God Max Planck has always figured prominently in my research)

"Correct! Next question."

The competition continued for another hour. At the end of that time, the score was Team Back in Black, 427 points. Team Gizmo 319.

The MC had the teams take a short five minute break before the Final Question, which was going to be worth 200 points.

Sheldon took a seat and addressed his teammates, "Well, so far we've acquitted ourselves admirably. Notice the men are taking you ladies very seriously now. No more ogling of your shapes, they are ogling your minds now."

Raj spoke up, "I believe the proper term is 'shitting bricks'. They knew about us guys, but Amanda and Niki are throwing them for a loop."

Niki grinned and looked over at Team Gizmo on the other side of the room. "Don't worry sexism is not yet dead. However, no one on our team should forget the evil that one Barry Kripke is capable of. The man is devious."

Sheldon cleared his throat and answered her, "Trust me, we have not forgotten. So far, we have stayed one jump ahead of him, but as there is only one more question, he will be pulling out all the stops. We do have an advantage, though. Kripke is a brilliant physicist, but he cannot compute mathematical formulas in his head as quickly as I can. Let us hope the final question is a formula of some sort. If not, let us hope that it falls within the specialization of one of our members."

The bell rang, summoning them back to the stage and our intrepid team steeled themselves to go once more unto the breach.

The MC hailed them, "Welcome back, worthy competitors! We are now down to the final question, which is worth two hundred points. Are all of your ready to receive this question? We will give each team a written form of the question while a printed version will appear on the large screen above the stage, below the team scores. Each team will be given thirty seconds to write their answer down and pass it to the end of their table where it will be collected. In the event that both teams correctly answer the question, no points will be awarded and we will reveal a second part to the question and the first team to hit their buzzer and answer correctly will receive the two hundred points. Now, here is your final question." He handed the Captain of each team a sealed envelope and asked them to hold onto it until given the signal to open it and remove the question inside.

"Teams, open your envelopes!"

The following graphic appeared on the screen above the stage: X = A cos(wt + f) can represent an expression for what?

Both teams whispered among themselves and began to immediately write their answer and quickly pass it down to their Captain which, for our group of friends, was Sheldon.

The MC picked up both envelopes and handed them to an impartial judge who studied each team's answer. The judge whispered something to the MC who announced, "It seems both teams have answered the question correctly. This is the expression for a simple harmonic oscillator. So no points will be rewarded. We will now ask the second part of this question which will, once again, be worth two hundred points.

Teams, get ready, here is your final question: If a frictional force proportional to the velocity is also present, the harmonic oscillator is described as a:

 _Buzz!_

Every member of Team Back in Black hit their buzzer at the same time, so the MC asked Sheldon, "As the Captain of your team, pick a member you trust will answer the question correctly."

Sheldon thought for a second and then announced, "I pick Mr. Howard Wollowitz to answer for our team."

"Very well. Mr Wollowitz, for two hundred points and the win, what is your answer?"

Howard cleared his throat and confidently announced, "In that situation, the harmonic oscillator is described as a damped oscillator."

"Correct! The win goes to Team Back in Black from the Pentagram Research Facility in Altadena, California!"

The entire team swarmed Howard and hugged him. Penny, Bernadette, and Kelly rushed the stage to join their husbands, father, and friends. Everyone was linking arms and jumping up and down with joy and Niki somehow found herself being picked up by Sheldon and twirled around. When he finally put her down, he exclaimed, "This is worth ten Nobel Prizes, Dr. Horner!"

She looked up at him and replied happily, "You lie so hard, Cooper!"

"Perhaps. But it seems that way, anyhow."

Howard came up to them with Bernadette and Kelly in tow and asked him, "Sheldon, why did you pick me to answer that question? We all knew the answer. Why me?"

Sheldon smiled fondly at his friend, "That's simple, Howard. You trusted me enough to leave the university and come with me to Altadena. That took a big leap of faith for you to do that, seeing as how I have always mocked you for not having a doctorate. I believed it was time for me to take a leap of faith in regards to you. I knew from the look in your eyes you knew the answer. I also knew it would mean a lot to Bernadette and Kelly if you gave us the winning answer. It was, as they say, a no brainer."

Howard did something he had never done before in all the years he had known him, he threw his arms around Sheldon Cooper and hugged him tightly. Then something even more amazing happened. Sheldon Cooper hugged him back.

The MC then made an announcement, "Ladies and Gentlemen, let me introduce to you the winner of this year's International Physics Bowl. From the Pentagram Research Facility in Altadena, California, Team Back in Black! Here." he handed Sheldon and immense trophy and presented a smaller version of it to each team member. "Congratulations! Now, this wasn't announced, but there is also the small matter of prize money to be awarded." Everyone involved looked shocked. They knew nothing about a monetary prize. "So, I am here to present a check in the amount of fifty thousand dollars to Team Back in Black and a check for twenty five thousand to Team Gizmo. You are all amazing physicists and this stage has been honored to be graced by your presence. Again, congratulations to both teams."

Sheldon put his arm around Niki and asked her and the rest of the team, "Seeing as how we weren't expecting any sort of monetary prize from this competition, I would like to give this money to Howard Wollowitz, who provided this team with its winning answer. Howard, if the rest of the team agrees, I would like you to put this money in Kelly's college fund. Now, is this agreeable to everyone?" They all nodded. "Good. Howard, you take this check with our blessings." He turned and winked at Kelly. "Twenty five years from now, who knows? Your daughter may be on this same stage winning this same contest. You never know."

Howard took the check and gave a heartfelt reply, "I don't know what to say except that I am a very, very, lucky man to have such good friends and such a wonderful family." He handed the check to his wife, "Bernie, take this and put it somewhere safe until we can get it to the bank." He then hugged his daughter tightly.

Niki took Sheldon aside and told him, "Damn you, Cooper. Just when I think I can't love you any more than I do, you go and pull something like that on me."

"Are you saying you are pleased with my actions?"

She pulled him close and gently kissed him, "Very pleased. I love you, Dr. Cooper."

He kissed her back, a bit more fervently, "And I love you, Dr. Horner"

Raj and Amanda walked by. He looked over at the two entwined physicists, smiled, and said to her, "Looks like somebody's going to be having coitus tonight." They both laughed and went to meet the rest of their friends in the lobby.

 **Well, our friends came, saw, and conquered. In addition to their victory, it seems that Sheldon is growing an actual heart. Is that possible? Could be. Sheldon has a birthday coming up. What do you think Niki and their friends have planned for his special day?**


	51. Chapter 51

Chapter 51: Happy Birthday, Sheldon! Part 1

 **It's Sheldon's birthday! How will his friends and family celebrate it with him?**

It was the middle of February and quite gloomy and cold. Niki and Sheldon were both lying back on sofa pillows, warming themselves in front of a toasty fire they had lit in the fireplace. Niki snuggled closer and affectionately reminded him, "Your birthday is coming up pretty soon, Cooper."

"Ah yes. Yet another candle to put on my birthday cake and then attempt to extinguish. Great fun."

Niki propped herself up on an elbow and asked him, "Sheldon, don't you remember what we decided on last year? You do have that eidetic memory thing still going on, don't you?"

He pulled her down on top of him and replied, "Of course, Niki. I was just lamenting the reality of growing older. We promised each other we would spend my birthday at Disneyland every year. I am actually looking forward to it."

She looked into his eyes and teased him, "Sheldon, there's one more thing I haven't told you.

"What is that?"

Niki laid her head on his chest and informed him, "We aren't just going to Disneyland. I have made reservations for the same two rooms we had last year and we will be staying there four days and three nights. Friday is your birthday, so we will be leaving Friday morning and returning here Monday evening. I know you won't like this, but there's going to another surprise for you. Leonard and Penny are throwing you a birthday party on Thursday night.

He sat up quickly, dislodging Niki from her Sheldon pillow, "Oh, dear lord! Not a birthday party! Tell them no, Niki."

Niki collected herself and attempted to reason with him, "You have to allow them to do this. They're all going to be bringing presents, Sheldon."

He was instantly placated and laid back down, "Oh. Very well then. We will party on."

Niki couldn't resist teasing him, "You're getting very close to actually being referred to as my 'old man'."

"Very funny, Niki. You aren't that far behind me. Should I refer to you as my 'old lady'?"

She shook her head and then snuggled close to him, "Nope. Not quite forty yet, Cooper. You, on the other hand, are going to be an ancient 47."

Sheldon looked over at her and gave a playful grin, "Do you think it is time to start looking for a home to put me in?"

Niki began to nuzzle his neck and told him, "Not just yet. I would miss the coitus."

His grin broadened, "As would I. Niki, are you going to be joining me on Space Mountain this year?"

She spoke softly into his neck, "Try and stop me, Cooper. To the best of my recollection, riding on that coaster was the very first time you put your arms around me."

He nodded and reminded her, "Likewise."

Her head came out of his neck, "Sheldon, I was hanging on for dear life."

He planted a quick kiss on her nose "As was I. I knew then that I never wanted to let you go."

Niki smiled contentedly and came back with, "Aren't you sweet. We do make a good couple, don't we?"

Sheldon pulled her close to him, "Absolutely. Let me show you just how good we are together."

Niki felt his lips travel across her neck and shoulder and she responded with, "Hey, I thought it was you who was supposed to get presents."

"Think of this as a mutual gift giving event."

Niki's hands began to undo his belt, "Let's both get unwrapped then, shall we?"

Sheldon pulled her top off with a single movement, "Your wish is my command."

Thursday night rolled around and all of their friends gathered at Niki and Sheldon's home, including Mary and Alfred. Instead of the dreaded cake and candles, Sheldon was presented with a gigantic, circular, deep dish pizza made with all of his favorite ingredients. On the top, written in anchovies, were the words "Happy Birthday, Sheldon, Shellybean, Moonpie!"

Niki caught his embarrassed reaction and explained to him, "Your Mom and Meemaw insisted on the last two. I think it's kinda sweet."

He nodded, but then asked, "Why do we need Moonpie? My Meemaw isn't going to see this."

Niki's grin was immense as she cooed to him, "Guess again, my love." She turned her laptop to face him and there was his Meemaw, face timing the party.

Sheldon's face showed both his surprise and his delight, "Meemaw! You're here! Kind of."

She blew her grandson a kiss and explained everything, "Your smart little lady and I have been talkin' on Twitter and she showed me how to do this thing. She's a real good teacher, Moonpie. Keep her."

"I fully intend to. Are you going to make it in person for the wedding?" he asked her, hope in his voice.

"Wild horses couldn't keep me from that. Mary and Alfred will be in town then and we're all flyin' out there together. Now, let all your friends sing Happy Birthday to you and then let's open the presents. I can't wait to see all the loot you got."

Sheldon protested mildly, "Meemaw, this is about more than loot. My friends have come over to help me celebrate my birthday, and that is always enjoyable. But yes, I am curious about what they have given me as presents, also."

Niki made a suggestion to him, "Sheldon, before we open presents, why we don't have some pizza."

But won't Meemaw be bored? She can't have any, she's still in Texas." He turned to look at his grandmother on the computer screen, "Though it seems like she's right here in the room with us."

Niki answered him in a warm, calming voice, "Don't worry Sheldon; we've made sure your Meemaw can join us.

Sheldon heard a noise come from the computer. It was the doorbell to his Meemaw's front door. She went to answer it and found a piping hot pizza, much like the one in front of her grandson, in the hands for a smiling delivery boy. He announced, "This pizza has already been paid for by your daughter, Mary. So enjoy!"

She read a note that came with the pizza, 'Constance, we're excited that this year, you can enjoy Sheldon's birthday pizza with all of us,' It was signed by Niki, Mary, Alfred, and all of Sheldon's friends. She returned to her couch and her face filled the computer screen as she told him, "It looks like your people have fixed that for me Moonpie."

Sheldon was truly touched, "Oh my. They are special people aren't they?"

"I'll give you that, Shelly. Now, let's eat so we can get to those presents."

After they had eaten their fill of pizza, the friends presented Sheldon with his gifts.

Raj handed him a large, flat, package and told him, "This is from me. I hope that we can spend some time together enjoying it."

Sheldon pulled off the wrapping and saw that Raj had given him a very nice fighter kite. Everyone could see that he was extremely pleased with this gift. "Thank you, Koothrappali! I will make sure I find the time to have a kite battle or two with you."

Howard and Bernadette were next. Bernie handed him a box wrapped in gold foil, "We both thought a long time about what to give you and we couldn't come up with anything. Then, Kelly helped us pick out the perfect gift for you." They both looked over fondly at their daughter. "Here, Sheldon. From all of us."

Sheldon took the box and carefully removed the wrapping. He saw they had, indeed, given him a gift suited perfectly for him. His eyes shone as he removed a carefully wrapped Indiana Jones bullwhip from its box. He stuttered as he tried to convey his feelings to Howard and his family, "I-I-I don't know what to say. This is beautiful."

Niki, who greatly admired the leather work on the whip, told him, "And we can hang it on a peg near the fireplace, Sheldon. That way we can admire it every day." She turned to the Wollowitz family and remarked, "That is too beautiful to store in the closet with all of his comic books."

Leonard and Penny were next. "Sheldon, we've been friends for close to twenty years, and I still have problems with buying you presents. First, you never used to like them, and now, you sometimes like them too much. But, in spite of that, Penny and I put our heads together and got you this." He handed Sheldon a small, gaily wrapped package.

He removed the wrapping to find two hand written letters. One from Leonard and one from Penny.

He read Leonard's letter aloud so his Meemaw could hear it.

 _Sheldon, being your friend hasn't always been easy, but it's always been interesting. You're like a brother to me and I know we have helped each other grow in so many ways. I have always treasured the Halo nights, paintball weekends, kite battles, movies, and research I have shared with you throughout our friendship. This letter is to tell you that in spite of our differences over the years, you are my best friend and I intend to be your best friend for at least another twenty years._

 _Happy Birthday, buddy!_

 _Leonard._

Sheldon's mouth dropped open as he finished reading the letter and he walked over to Leonard and gave him a fierce hug. "Leonard, no words ever written have meant more to me. Thank you."

"Hey, Wackadoodle, you haven't read mine yet!"

"So I haven't. I can rectify that right now." He opened Penny's letter and began to read.

 _Sheldon, do you remember when you used to hand out Cooper Coupons? Of course you do. You never forget anything. Well, I want to give you some Penny Promises. I, Penny Hofstadter, promise to always forgive anything insulting, trying, annoying, or just plain weird, that you will do in the future, though you have gotten much better about those things. I also promise to always be there when you need someone to talk to. Though Niki seems to serve that purpose very well, sometimes you just need to talk to a friend. I also promise to never enter your home without knocking anymore. I further promise to let you borrow my wifi password anytime yours fucks up. My next promise is to always and forever be your friend. I have always told myself I put up with you to stay friendly with Leonard, but I know that hasn't always been true. I have grown to love you for you. You have been the best friend ever to me and Leonard and we don't know what we'd do without you. So I'm giving you these promises in exchange for a promise from you that you will always be my friend._

 _Happy Birthday, Sweetie_

 _Penny._

Sheldon's voice completely failed him after reading Penny's letter. He simply went over to Penny and hugged her.

Howard shook his head in disbelief and told his friends, "Well I'll be damned! Sheldon Cooper is speechless! I've never seen that before. Penny, could you give me some pointers?"

Everyone laughed and then turned to look at Mary as she walked over and gave her son a hug and a kiss before she gave him his present.

"Shelly, like everyone else here, I had no clue as to what to get you for your birthday. But Alfred was a big help. So, he took matters into his own hands. Now I don't rightly know if you two have planned a honeymoon yet or not, but he decided to take care of that for you anyways. Here son, this is for you." Mary handed Sheldon a sealed envelope. "Go ahead, open it."

He opened the envelope and was once again rendered speechless. Niki asked him, "What did Alfred give you?"

"It's more correctly stated as what did he give _us,_ Niki. We are going to Hawaii for our honeymoon."

"Sheldon, I never thought you wanted to go on a typical honeymoon like that. I'm surprised."

He gave her a sly look, "Don't be. We will be spending the majority of our time at the Mauna Kea Observatory."

Niki almost fainted. "Oh my god! That is one of the best, if not the best, observatory in the world." She turned and explained to their friends that weren't scientists, "MKO has more telescopes than any other mountain based observatory in the world. They also have the world's largest collection of infrared, optical, and sub millimeter astronomical equipment. It's kind of like a science nerd's Disneyland. Alfred, it's perfect! I had kind of forgotten about a honeymoon. We've both been so busy we never got around to that. Thank you!"

Raj asked them, "Can I go with you?"

Sheldon shook his head, "No. Go there on your own honeymoon. You're getting married this year, right?"

"Oh yeah," he replied sheepishly, "I forgot." He saw Amanda frown and cross her arms, "I mean, it slipped my mind. Not the marriage, the honeymoon part. Really, Amanda. I didn't forget our wedding. Honestly." She did not look happy with his explanation.

Sheldon looked over at the couple and asked them, "Want to settle that with fighter kites? I've got a couple you can use."

Everyone laughed and the tension was broken. Then Stuart and Georgia stepped forward, "Sheldon," Stuart began, "we didn't get you anything grand like Hawaii, but what we did pick out was from the heart. Here." He placed a small box in Sheldon's hand.

Sheldon opened it to find a complete, mint condition, colorized set of Silver Star Wars coins. Sheldon had admired this set for a very long time and he could hardly believe he held it in his hands. "Stuart, you and Georgia have no idea how much your gift means to me. All I can say is I will treasure this forever."

"It's nothing compared to all you've done for me over the years. Enjoy it."

His mother spoke up, "I got ya something too, Shelly. Here." Mary handed him a large box-shaped present wrapped in traditional green and red Christmas paper. Mary spoke tenderly to her son, "Shelly, you've always been a special child, and I don't mean in a bad way, neither. Maybe you didn't know this, but I've been savin' every paper you ever wrote. Had 'em copied and laminated. Every dang one of them. Your sweet lady sent me a copy of that latest thing you wrote with her and Raj, the one she explained to me was about them black holes and gettin' through 'em. Well, I guess I should tell you that I've always been proud of you, boy. It ain't every mom who gets to see her son get published in brainy science magazines and win a big science contest like you all just did. Anyway, open this. It's from a proud mama to her beloved son. No, not that One, just you, Shelly."

Sheldon did a mock eye roll and tore off the present's brightly colored covering. There, he saw three large, thick, scrap books filled with every published scientific paper he had ever written since the age of twelve. His eyes filled with tears. He loved his mother and had always known she loved him, he just hadn't known she was this proud of his professional accomplishments. Now he knew. Once again, words failed him and he walked over to his mother and hugged her tightly. He sniffed, "This is getting to be a habit. Tonight I have been touched beyond words. Thank all of you from the bottom of my heart."

His Meemaw interrupted that touching scene by saying, "Well, you did good Moonpie. I guess all the gifts have been given so I'll sign off."

Niki spoke to her laptop screen, "Wait Constance, I haven't given him my gift yet."

Penny looked confused, "But I thought you were taking him to Disneyland."

"I am. But I have something else to give him. Here, Sheldon. Read this." She handed him a laminated page of parchment with the following words written on it.

 _These are the reasons I love you, Sheldon. I love you for:_

 _S - Your_ _ **sincerity**_ _, there is nothing false about you_

 _H - Your_ _ **heart**_ _that is so loyal and true._

 _E - Your_ _ **excellence**_ _in everything you attempt_

 _L –Your_ _ **love**_ _that you give so generously_

 _D – Your_ _ **dedication**_ _to everything you do_

 _O – Your_ _ **opinions**_ _on everything. They're always interesting and insightful_

 _N – We all_ _ **need**_ _some Sheldon Cooper in our lives_

Sheldon looked at her, smiled and then kissed her sweetly. "I owe you one of these for your birthday, Niki. I do know you have helped me grow so much as a person. I can never truly express to you how much you mean to me. I love you isn't enough. Someday I'll think of the right phrase. For now, I love you will have to do."

Constance cut into his loving words, "Awww Moonpie, that was sweet. Now, it's gettin' late here so I guess I'll be signin' off. I'll see all of you at the weddin'. Happy birthday, Sheldon. I love you very much and I want you to know you are growing into quite a fine man."

Sheldon held up the laptop, "Everyone, say goodbye to my Meemaw."

They all yelled, "Goodnight Meemaw!" as Sheldon turned his computer off. He turned back to Niki, his family, and his guests and in a sincere voice told them, "And all of you have given me one of the best birthdays of my life. Thank you."

Penny reminded him of the coming weekend, "Sweetie, I think it's only just begun. You and Niki have four whole days of fun planned at Disneyland. Don't you guys worry about anything, Leonard and I will take good care of the place while you're gone."

Niki smiled warmly at her friend and then looked at Sheldon, "I can't wait. I have you all to myself four days and three nights. What fun we will have."

Howard added, "Yeah, we're all taking bets on if you two ever leave your room and get to see the park. You know, you do kind of have a reputation…"

Sheldon made no attempt to deny Howard's statement, "And it is well deserved, Wollowitz. However, you can only have so much coitus before you need to take a break, and Disneyland is a most excellent break. "

Everyone began to grab their things in preparation to leave. Raj told him, "We'll see both of you when you get back, enjoy yourselves."

Penny looked at Niki and added, "And I want to hear some juicy stories, girlfriend."

Niki had a quick retort, "As do I. Need I remind you that you and Leonard will have the entire house, the pool, the Jacuzzi, and the cabana all to yourselves? I doubt Sheldon and I will be the only ones with lustful tales to tell."

Penny knew to quit while she was ahead, "Okay, okay. On that note, we're going home and enjoying a little alone time ourselves. My play has closed and I haven't signed up for another one…yet." She grinned at Leonard, knowing full well she had been gone half of every week in L.A. with Oedipus Rex and that it had been hard on them both. He had mentioned to her numerous times that he hoped she'd appear in something in Pasadena or Glendale next.

Sheldon rose from his seat and walked all of his guests out to the front of the property and there bid them goodbye. It was now time to get back to Niki and begin the rest of his birthday weekend.

 **So, Niki and Sheldon are revisiting where it all began. They have both undergone some major changes since his last birthday. How will those changes impact their stay at Disneyland?**


	52. Chapter 52

Chapter 52: Disneyland Revisited, Happy Birthday Part 2

 **Niki and Sheldon return to where their relationship began. Can they recapture the magic of the first time? Our couple gets a little sexually adventurous at the end of the day. Fun and games galore! This is a little out of my comfort zone for writing, but I wanted to experiment a bit with it and this seemed like as good a place as any in this story.**

It is once again ten thirty in the morning on February 26th and Niki and Sheldon are once again checking themselves into Rooms 308 and 309 of the Disney's Grand Californian Hotel. Let's pull up a chair and listen in on them, shall we?

Niki unlocked the door of her room with the key card and asked Sheldon, "Do you want Room 309 again, Sheldon?"

Sheldon crossed the room with his bags and headed for the door connecting the two rooms, "Yes. I want it to be exactly as it was last year."

Niki put her bags down and reminded him, "Sheldon, it can't be exactly as it was. We had never even kissed each other on this date last year. Now we're engaged. We can't make time go backwards…yet." She added with a smile.

Sheldon emerged from his room, looked at Niki, and responded, "Perhaps I misspoke. You're right. Let's say we should keep it as close to last year's events as possible."

Niki began to unpack her bags and place her clothes and toiletries in their proper places in the room, "So, do you want to go down to the park and have some fun?"

Sheldon looked troubled and admitted to her, "Niki, what you said about it not being possible for it to be exactly as it was last year brings up a dichotomy of emotions in me."

Niki stopped with her unpacking to address his concerns, "Okay, Sheldon. What are they?"

"I want us to recreate last year as much as possible, but I also cannot wait until tonight for us to enjoy each other in a physical manner."

Niki face broke out into a mischievous grin, "Let me translate that Sheldonspeak into English. You're too horny for us to wait until tonight to fuck each other's brains out. Is that what you're saying?"

His face showed his disapproval of her coarse language, but his head nodded anyway, "I wouldn't put it in such earthy terms, but yes, that is the general idea."

"Well, it's your birthday, so you get to choose. Coitus or Disneyland?"

Now it was Sheldon's turn display an impish grin, 'How about pre-Disney coitus and then we go enjoy the park?"

Niki began to remove her clothes and answered him in her most seductive voice, "I think that's a wonderful idea, lover. Now, let's work on implementing your plan." Her hands moved to quickly remove his shirts while his moved to the button and zipper of her pants.

We will now leave this scene in order to give our couple their privacy. This is birthday sex and perhaps their coitus would be too hot to put on a printed page. Fahrenheit 451 and all that.

Later that day, Niki and Sheldon approached the main gate of Disneyland, once again wearing their Mickey and Minnie t-shirts. They were both excited at the prospect of spending a full day having nothing but fun with the person they loved most. As they passed through the turnstile, Niki suggested to Sheldon, "Should we eat lunch at the Carnation Café again? We did that last year."

Sheldon looked around him in wonder and answered her question, "As I recall, and I recall everything, I had a cheeseburger and you had a turkey sandwich. And to answer your question, yes, let's eat there. It was a most satisfactory meal. But first, we must ride the train again, as we did on our last visit."

Niki squeezed his hand and replied, "If we did that first last year, protocol demands that it goes first this year as well. After that, we will get lunch."

"Very well. Let's run up the steps again. Only this time I will have a firm hold on your hand."

Niki looked up at him lovingly, "You're such a romantic, Cooper. You really do remember every detail of our trip here last year, don't you?"

"Niki, not to burst your bubble, but I remember every detail of everything. Of course, being here with you last year is one of my most treasured memories. That was a weekend I will always treasure."

"Okay, I'll take that. Now, here comes the train."

They enjoyed riding the train together every bit as much as they did the year before, down to pointing out all the inaccuracies in the Primordial World section. As had happened the previous year, everyone else on the train was much relieved when the two of them disembarked back at the Main Street Station.

Lunch at the Carnation Café came next, where true to their last visit, Sheldon had a cheeseburger and Niki had a turkey sandwich. They also repeated their drinks, as they both ordered lemonade.

The next stop on their agenda was Fantasy Land and the King Arthur's Carousel. Sheldon still commented on how silly he looked perched up on his horse and Niki still looked over at him joyfully and stuck out her tongue. The only difference this time was that they held hands during the ride and Sheldon made the knightly gesture of help his lady off of her steed when the ride ended.

Following their prescribed itinerary, they next headed over to the Peter Pan ride, whose name Niki thought fit Sheldon, his friends, and most likely herself, very accurately. She loved snuggling up to Sheldon as the ride pretended to wing them over the city of London. Niki loved looking down and calculating just how far above the floor of the ride they actually were while Sheldon concentrated on the layout of the track in front of them.

After Peter Pan, the couple made their way over to Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, the only difference being this year; Niki let Sheldon pilot the automobile.

Now it was Niki's moment of truth. Space Mountain. Once in line, she turned to Sheldon and confessed, "I'm still scared shitless of this ride. Help me conjure up some courage, will ya, Cooper?"

Sheldon looked around him, desperate for some form of inspiration. Eventually he turned to Niki and made her an offer, "Niki, if you get on this ride with me, I will play your favorite sexual game with you tonight. How does that sound?"

Before she could answer him, several people stopped their conversations and focused on the odd pair in line who had brought up sexual bartering. "Sheldon, shhhh!" Niki scolded him.

He seemed confused, "What, you don't want me to do that? I thought you rather liked it." A larger number of people began to stare at them and listen more closely.

Niki looked around her, turned a beet red, and answered him in a lowered voice, "Yes, I do, but I'd rather not talk about it now if you don't mind."

Sheldon refused to let it go, "Why not? I can't wait until _after_ the ride. This offer was made to help you get _on_ the ride. After wouldn't be any help to you at all."

Niki gritted her teeth and hissed at him, "I'd rather not talk about our sexual preferences in public, that's why."

Much to her chagrin, Sheldon kept the conversation going, "But Niki, most people have sex. I don't see why we can't talk about it. It's not like we're going to murder someone, we're just going to…" Now people were pointing at them and whispering.

Niki dug her elbow into his ribs, "Sheldon, stop! You're embarrassing me!"

His voice suddenly became louder, "You are acting like no one has ever done that before. I highly doubt that is the truth. It's not the most common sexual act, but it's not unheard of, either."

Niki wanted nothing more than to end this conversation, "Just forget it, Sheldon."

Sheldon's voice became very strident, "No, I won't forget it. Does this mean you don't like that any longer? I could have sworn the last time we did that you reached orgasm several times. Was I mistaken?"

By this time, Niki wanted the ground to open up and swallow them both. She decided to reason with him, "Sheldon, if we end this topic of conversation immediately, I guarantee you we will do that tonight. Okay?"

He protested in a very clear voice, "But I wasn't suggesting it for me. This is one of _your_ favorite sexual games. I enjoy them all equally. Though oral sex may have a slight lead at this point in time."

Niki pleaded with him, " . !" Now the crowd was starting to surround them and stare with great interest.

He inquired in an innocent voice, "Oh, is this topic one generally considered socially awkward or inappropriate?"

She hung her head, covered her eyes, and mumbled, "Yes, Sheldon. Can't you see everyone staring?"

He gave her his version of why people were looking at them, in a voice that carried, "Well, we're an attractive couple. I see people staring at us all the time. Maybe they recognize us from the Physics Bowl. We are rather like rock stars now."

Niki heard a noise, looked up, and announced with great relief, "Oh, look! Here comes the ride. Let's get in our seats."

Sheldon grinned and thought to himself, ' _That made her forget her fear completely! Cooper, you're a genius! As if I didn't know that already.'_ He then gave one of his funny little laughs and Niki looked over at him perplexed. One thing about spending the rest of her life with this man, it would never be dull.

The ride progressed through its twists and turns and Niki never once held on to Sheldon for comfort or courage. She sat on her side of the seat, upright, proud, and indignant. When they approached the point in the ride where the picture was taken, Niki flashed some universal sign language with a single digit from each hand. Sheldon was both surprised and amused. He now knew that Niki had completely conquered her fear of roller coasters, even if she was a bit upset with him.

That was not Niki's take on the situation, however. She exited the ride without saying a word to Sheldon, preoccupied with her own thoughts. She kept walking ahead of him, not saying a word, until they exited the building. She made a right and worked her way over to a table in front of the Pizza Port, the nearest restaurant from Space Mountain. "Sheldon, please sit down. We need to have a talk."

He became exceedingly nervous. It had been his experience that when a woman said those words, 'we need to talk', it was never going to go well for the man. "Niki, what is the problem? You aren't talking to me and that is certainly not your default."

Niki sat down at a round table and motioned him to take the seat opposite from her. "Sheldon, I know I asked for a diversion to help me conquer my fear, but what you did was not what I had in mind."

He sat down and asked her defensively, "Whatever are you talking about? Did you, or did you not, forget your fear by the time we reached the loading dock of the ride?"

Niki nodded in agreement with him, "Yes, I most certainly did. Can you tell me why?"

He beamed with pride and said, "I came up with an excellent distraction. Fear was the furthest thing from your mind. Am I correct?

"As far as that goes, yes. Can you hazard a guess why I'm upset?"

He looked lost, "No. I'm afraid I'm not following you."

She played with a napkin that had been left on the table, "Sheldon, you replaced fear with great embarrassment. You replaced fear with something much worse!"

His face was still a big question mark, "I'm still not following you."

Niki took a deep breath and began to explain things to him, "Sheldon, our love life is not something you share with strangers. I even keep most of the details to myself among our friends."

He countered that with, "But I heard you and Penny tell each other you wanted to share what you called, 'juicy stories' with each other when we returned home."

Niki gave a little grin, beginning to see how his thought process was working, "Sheldon, Penny and I always joke around like that. Do you know how much I know about Penny and Leonard's love life?"

"No, tell me."

She looked him in the eye and replied, "Nothing. Penny and I were joking, that's all. Right now the only thing sexual we're talking about is how her pregnancy is going. _That_ interests me. Leonard knows more about what we do than Penny and that is only because he almost caught us in the act a couple of times at Cal Tech. Now, by noting all our hickeys and the way we are physically affectionate with each other, I'm sure most of our friends assume we have a healthy sex life, which we have never denied. There's nothing wrong with people knowing that. What you don't share is what we actually do in bed, what you like me to do to you and vice versa. That is very private and no one should know about that, not even our friends. And certainly not a group of strangers in line for a ride at Disneyland!"

Sheldon began to see what she had been feeling and hastened to reassure her, "Niki, I was not about to tell them what I was actually talking about. I just wanted to get your mind off of your fear."

Niki smiled at him for the first time in over an hour, "I know you were, love. But you carried it a bit too far. You should have stopped the first time I asked you to." She reached across the table and touched his cheek. "What we do privately is very sacred and special to me. I felt almost ashamed of our sex life when you were going on like you were. I never want to feel bad about what we do with and to each other in bed, ever."

Sheldon's face dropped, "You don't feel bad about doing…"

She patted his hand and smiled tenderly at him, "No, of course not. But that is something special between the two of us that no one else has to know about. I love you and I love our lovemaking, but the world does not need to be in on it. Not even Penny or Bernie knows any of the details."

"Very well. I will never mention it to anyone but you ever again. Are we good?"

Niki's heart melted right there at the table and she softly replied, "Oh, Sheldon. We're more than good. Now, if my memory serves me correctly, didn't we go on the submarine ride right after Space Mountain last year?"

He beamed at her, "You are correct. I was thrilled by the chance to be in tight quarters with you, our legs up against each other. Do you think it's possible for us to recreate that feeling?"

Niki stood up, "There's only one way to find out, Sheldon. Let's head on over to the Submarine Ride and go try it."

Sheldon quickly left his seat as well and gave her a mock salute, "Aye, aye, Captain!"

Sheldon and Niki had enjoyed the Submarine Ride to its utmost possible limit. Their legs pressed together had triggered that 'new love' feeling that thrilled both of them. After leaving their vessel, they decided to veer a bit from the previous year's itinerary and skipped Star Tours. It was decided by both of them that they would come back on Sunday and catch any rides they had missed. Instead, they made their way over to the Matterhorn Bobsleds where Niki did cling to Sheldon and hide her face in his neck for a good part the ride.

After that, they decided to go sit and rest on the bench by the Matterhorn where they had been seated the year before. Niki rested her head on Sheldon's shoulder and relaxed. It always felt so right when they were together like this. At home, they could be sitting on the couch silently together for hours and it never got uncomfortable. He could be playing a video game while she read, but as long as they were touching, everything seemed perfect. Niki mused that Sheldon seldom made her laugh as Paul had; he had no real sense of humor to speak of. But she didn't need that with him. What she needed from Sheldon was companionship, love, and passion and he gave her all three of those things in spades. Her and Paul had each done their own thing and basically came together for dinner parties, sex, and holidays. Any other time, they were each off chasing their own dreams. It had worked for them, she had never felt a lack, but what she had with Sheldon was far better by any sort of measure. They were a team and depended on each other. She needed him and he needed her. Sheldon was a combination of lover, best friend, confidante, and business partner. For someone others called eccentric and difficult, she had found him incredibly sane and easy to deal with. Any differences, such as earlier in line for Space Mountain, were easily discussed and solved. Sheldon listened to her and she always took his feeling into consideration. For a man who seemed aloof on the outside, Niki knew he was actually extremely warm and loving on the inside. She sighed; she wished this moment could go on forever.

Sheldon sat down on the bench and felt Niki's head come to rest on his shoulder. How he loved that! No matter what they were doing when they were outside of work, they almost always found a way for some part of their bodies to be touching. She was such a good match for him. Caring, witty, and outspoken, she was the perfect counterpoint for his caution, lack of humor, and introspection. While he was not averse to speaking his mind when the need arose, he could never do it with as much flair as Niki Horner. At first he had often been shocked by what came out of her mouth, but now he accepted that as Niki just being Niki. Her outspoken manner is what had helped her heal from her past, so when NIki let fly, he sat back and admired her. How much fun she had brought into his life, also. She had introduced him to rollerblading, which they now tried to incorporate into their schedules at least twice per week. She had also refined his dancing skills. He had to admit, there were few things he enjoyed more than dancing with Niki. One of those, however, was kissing her, which he decided sounded like a pretty good idea right then. He moved Niki's head gently from his shoulder and kissed her tenderly. "Thank you for being here with me," he told her, "you have made today so very special for me."

She looked up at him with a sideways glance, "Well, it is your birthday. It's supposed to be special."

He felt compelled to ask her, "We don't do anything like this for your birthday. Is there a specific reason?"

Niki shook her head and stated, "I don't celebrate my birthday, Sheldon."

That shocked him, "May I ask why not?"

"To me, my birthday isn't special. It really doesn't seem like a big deal."

He looked sad and asked her, "And mine?"

She smiled over at him, "To me? It's huge."

"What's the difference if I may ask?"

Niki shrugged her shoulders slightly, "I don't really know. I've never made anyone's birthday special before yours."

Sheldon was curious and inquired, "How did that come about?"

She grinned at the memory, "Believe it or not, it was Penny. She's the one who came up with the idea of doing something special to celebrate your birthday. I chose to do it here at Disneyland."

His grin was broad and he nodded to Niki, "Smart girl that Penny."

She laid her hand on his leg and gave it a gentle squeeze, "She's a genius in her own way. She really does care about you, Sheldon. She was trying to get me to date you long before we actually did."

Sheldon's eyes went wide, "Penny wanted you to date me?"

Niki nodded an affirmation, "Yep. She didn't want you being alone any longer. She and Leonard both love you very much. You can't buy friends like that."

He stared down at his shoes, not wanting to look her in the eye, "No, you can't. I have so much to make up to both of them. Sometimes it bothers me."

Niki put an arm around him and pulled him close, "Sheldon, they love you as you are. Just keep growing and showing them that you care. That's all they want. I can't see you having any other best friend than Leonard. Raj and Howard are good friends to you, but Leonard is in another league."

His head returned to an upright position and a wistful smile appeared on his face, "So many good people are in my life right now, Niki. The thought astounds me. Anyway, should we head over It's a Small World to view the fireworks? If we get there early enough, we can sit in the same place we did last year."

"Are you going to kiss me before the fireworks again?"

Sheldon stood up and extended a hand to help Niki up from the bench, "I do believe that is something you can count on, Dr. Horner."

Once on her feet, she took his hand and they began to walk towards their destination, "Then let's proceed to the viewing area, Dr. Cooper."

The couple chose the same seats as the previous year, a little distance away from the larger parts of the gathered crowd. As they sat on a low wall facing It's a Small World, Sheldon put his arm firmly around Niki and turned to kiss her. When he finally released her he made the comment, "Not as dramatic as last year but just as heartfelt, possibly more so, than the first time I kissed you."

She returned her head to his shoulder and told him, "Yep. We've been through some interesting things together, but I wouldn't change a second of it."

He teased her, "Not even the time with our treasured intern?"

She sat back up and moved even nearer to him, "Nope. That brought us even closer together. It showed me that when tough times come, you and I work together as a team to get through it. With anyone else, I may not have been as lucky. That gives me a lot of confidence that our marriage will both last and be a happy, fulfilling one."

Sheldon stared out over the crowd and told her, "Our married friends have given us exemplary examples to follow. I can't think of two more devoted couples than the Hofstadters and the Wollowitzes."

Niki agreed with him, "True, they stick together no matter what. I want us to be like that."

"We seem to be on the upward end of the compatibility graph. I can't see any reason why we wouldn't stay devoted to each other. The coitus alone is worth the effort."

Niki took his hand in hers and gave it a gentle squeeze, "You got that right, mister! Speaking of coitus, are we leaving for our hotel after this or will we be going dancing like last year? I can still vividly remember being led by you while I was blindfolded. That was different and got my attention very quickly."

Sheldon returned her hand squeeze, "It also told me that you trusted me. I don't give my heart easily, Niki. You know that. So I had to ascertain you trusted me with your heart. When I saw that you did, I gave you everything. And, little lady, I have never regretted it."

Niki turned to him and winked, "Sheldon, it looks like the fireworks are about to start. One more kiss?"

He was quick to acquiesce, "Of course. The night would be incomplete without it."

After their shared kiss, the couple sat back and enjoyed the fireworks show. In fact, they managed to see much more of it than the year before. When the show was finished, Niki repeated the question she had asked him earlier, "Are we now returning to our hotel room or going dancing at the Tommorowland Terrace?"

He looked at her with a combination of love and lust and asked her, "Niki, do you remember earlier today when you told me we didn't have to follow last year's events to the letter?

"Yes, of course. Is this one of those times?"

He pulled her up from her seat, "I think so. We can go dancing on Sunday. Right now, I want to have dinner and get you alone."

Her arm went about his waist as they began to walk toward the exit of the park, "So be it. I have no argument for that plan. Let's head back. What are we doing for dinner?"

Sheldon kissed the top of her head and told her, "Be patient and you will see. I want this to be very special for both of us."

"Fair enough. Back to the hotel we go!"

When they arrived at the hotel they headed straight for their rooms, eager to continue their revisit of where it all began for them. Outside of the door to Niki's room, she asked him, "Are you going to go down to the lobby and order us special room service again? Delivered personally by you?"

Sheldon unlocked the door and answered her question, "No need this year. Perhaps we should go inside and then you will discover what I have planned for this year." Niki cocked her head at him quizzically, but followed his suggestion and went inside the room and sat down on the bed.

Sheldon went out on the balcony and motioned her to join him out there. Niki left the bed and walked outside to join him. Her eyes went wide in surprise and delight when she saw what Sheldon had planned. Waiting there on the table was a bottle of alcohol free champagne and a lobster dinner for two. "I called ahead again and had this set up for our return. Are you pleased?

Niki threw her arms around his neck and exclaimed, "Oh, Sheldon! I don't know what to say. Where did you ever learn to be this romantic?"

He sheepishly grinned and admitted to her, "I suppose I should confess that Leonard, Raj, and Howard have helped me out quite a bit with pointers during our relationship. But tonight was pure Koothrappali. Raj said this is what he would do in the same situation. Of course, I arranged it, but you should thank Raj for the actual idea."

Niki looked at the dinner in appreciation and told him, "I will. And I will also thank you for taking Raj's advice. This is wonderful! Shall we eat?"

Sheldon reached down and poured some of the champagne into each of their glasses, "Of course. But first, I want to make a toast." He raised his glass, "To you, my dear Niki. You have helped me mature and grow so very much in the last year. You have also taught me quite a bit about love, dancing, and working as a team. Thank you."

Niki picked up her glass, also, and said, "To my beloved Sheldon. In the past year you have healed my heart and shown me what true love and companionship is really all about. Thank you. Now, once again, shall we eat?"

Sheldon pulled out Niki's chair and gestured for her to be seated. "Of course. We don't want this lovely dinner to grow cold."

After their dinner was finished, Sheldon got up and looked out over the California Adventure grounds below them. Niki rose to join him and asked, "A penny for your thoughts?"

He kept his eyes staring straight ahead and answered her, "I was just thinking to myself, of all the places to fall in love, this one has to be the most perfect."

Niki stood next to him and commented, "I don't know, some people would say Paris, or London, or the Isles of Greece. Why here, Sheldon?"

His are went around her and his lips found the top of her head, "Because we both possess a childlike side that adores this place. Am I correct?"

She replied in a quiet voice, "To some degree, yes. But I'm sure Paris is a nice place for romance, also."

"But you wouldn't be there. You're here. That's why this is the perfect place to fall in love."

Niki looked him in the eye and asked him, "Sheldon, how many times in your life have you been in love?"

His answer came quickly, without a trace of hesitation, "Twice. With Amy and now with you. How many times have you been in love? I'm sure it's a somewhat larger number."

"Guess again, Sheldon. My magic number is three. My first was my college sweetheart, Rob. Next was Paul. Then, there was you."

"So, you left the best for last?"

Niki challenged him, "I don't know. Did you?"

His mind turned to the past and he replied in an earnest voice that was having trouble finding the right words, "That is a difficult question to answer. I loved Amy very, very, much. I still do, in fact. She was my first girlfriend, my first kiss, and my first sexual experience. My love for her should never be underestimated. I hope you understand what I am saying."

Niki nodded and replied to him softly and gently, "Of course I do. Paul was not my first kiss or my first sexual encounter, but he was my first truly serious love affair. I loved that man very much, and I still do. But, he is not you and could never be you. I can't say I love you more; I just love you in a different way than I loved him. It's hard to put into words."

Sheldon nodded and pulled her closer to him, "Yes, I know. You don't feel badly because I still love Amy do you?"

"Not at all. I think more of you because you do. The same way I hope my still loving Paul doesn't bother you."

"As you said, not at all. It's refreshing to be with someone who understands all of that."

Niki put her head on his shoulder and said, "Can I ask you a question I've never asked you before?"

His answer was as gentle as a whisper of wind, "Of course you can."

"You have told me that you used to be averse to human touch and were a germaphobe. How did you ever manage to make love to Amy?"

He turned to look directly at her, "Oh. I have never explained that to you have I? Well, when I was seriously considering becoming physical with Amy, which was quite awhile before we actually did, I went to a psychiatrist for awhile and I was properly diagnosed with OCD. I was given Paxil to help with my symptoms. I still take that medication to this day. That medication allows me to touch another person without panicking."

Something went 'click' in her brain and she asked him, "Wait…Sheldon, you take Paxil?"

"Yes. I tolerate it quite well. Does my taking it bother you?"

She shook her head and placed a reassuring hand on his, "No. Not at all. But it does explain your actions when you took that Dramamine on the cruise. The two medications did not mix well."

Sheldon looked at her and reminded her, "You never have told me what I did. You said you would do that."

Niki smiled at him and explained to him, "I will at another time. Just let me say, you were you, but not you. If that makes any sense. You did no harm, though. It was actually quite humorous looking back at it."

"Did I embarrass myself?"

She thought for a moment then replied, "No more than usual, Sheldon. No more than usual."

His entire body relaxed, "Well, that's a relief. Now, shall we call downstairs for them to remove what's left of our dinner?"

"What about desert?"

His hand went under her chin and lifted it up slightly, "I have a special desert planned for you, remember?"

Her face brightened, "Oh yes. I remember. My personal favorite sex game."

"Exactly. Do you still wish to proceed?"

"Let's wait until they pick up all of this," Niki gestured towards their now empty plates, bottles, and glasses, "and then we can have our desert."

Sheldon walked back into the room and eagerly reached for the phone, "Agreed. I'll make the call immediately."

Later, after room service had been there and left, Sheldon crossed the room and took Niki in his arms. "Are you still in the mood for our 'special game'?" he asked her.

Niki felt her body already beginning to tingle with excitement, "Oh, yes. Very much so. I've been waiting for this all day."

"Very well. But first, a shower." He reached in his bag and pulled out a black blindfold which he preceded to place over her eyes. Sheldon then guided Niki towards the bathroom and sensuously undressed her. "First, your top has to go so I can better view your beautiful breasts." Sheldon pulled her t-shirt over her head without a protest and then began to tease her by circling the nipple of each breast lightly with a forefinger. "I always get extremely excited when we do this. Do you?"

Niki moaned and begged him, "Don't stop. Please."

"I'll stop if I wish to. But now, off with those jeans and your lovely underpants." In a move made swift and effortless by many repetitions, he loosened her jeans and pulled both them and her undergarments off. His hands now caressed her stomach and moved down, below her pubic bone. "I know you love this, don't you?"

"Yes," she whimpered, "I do."

"You do what?" He asked her in a fierce tone.

"I love that." Niki began to tremble with desire.

"Much better. Now, let me help you into the shower."

"Aren't your clothes coming off?"

"Quiet." he commanded her, "Speak when I tell you to and only then." He led her carefully into the shower. His every movement tender, yet close to savage at the same time. He instructed her, "Stand there and do not move." Sheldon then removed his own clothing, his desire readily apparent and urgent. Entering the shower he turned the water on and adjusted it to the perfect temperature. That completed, he ran his hands up and down her body. "Are you ready for me to wash you?" he asked.

"Yes. Please." She mewed in a voice weak with wanting.

The water hit both of them and Sheldon began to work the bar of soap in his hands into lather. He delayed as long as possible to build the tension up between the both of them and then allowed his hands to caress Niki's shoulders, neck, breasts, ribcage, and stomach. He suddenly stopped and asked her, "Do you want me to continue?"

"Please," she gasped, "touch me."

Sheldon's lips tasted first one nipple, then the next. He stopped suddenly and told her in a gentle voice filled with lust, "Not so fast. Now I want you to touch me."

As she was blindfolded, Niki had no idea where to touch him, but his hands gave her a lathered washcloth and guided her to his chest, "Start there."

Niki's hands traveled over his chest, sensuously feeling her way down to his stomach, where she took great delight in teasing him by going no lower.

"Touch me, now! " He told her in a firm tone that allowed no argument.

Her hands went lower and soaped his rigid member, bringing a moan from deep within him. "Enough of that." He growled. "It is now my turn." One hand slipped easily between her legs and began to expertly explore all of Niki's pleasure centers. She began to tremble and Sheldon became afraid she would fall, so he withdrew his hand and turned off the water. Carefully, he led her out of the shower and caressed her body with one of the luxurious towels the hotel had provided them. "Your body is amazing, Niki. I love every curve, indentation, and freckle on it. Please let me explore it further on the bed. Do I have your permission to do that?"

"Yes." she told him. She couldn't see anything and felt completely helpless. That was a large part of what excited her about this game.

"Yes,what?" he growled at her.

She answered him in a voice that pleaded, "Yes, I want you to explore my body."

"How?"

"I want you to touch it. Taste it. Feel it."

"Yes. That I will do. Gladly." Sheldon carried her to the bed and laid her down gently upon it. He positioned himself next to her and began, as Niki had requested, to touch, taste, and caress all of her. He allowed himself no release but pleased her time and time again. He asked her, "Do you know what torture I am in?"

"Yes. I can feel the heat coming off of you." She told him, eager to continue this sensuous game they had invented.

"Will you let me come?" He asked her in a voice that surrendered control to her.

Niki was enjoying this role play immensely and replied in a stern voice, "No. Not yet. You must please me one more time."

Sheldon removed his hands from her body and groaned in desperation, "No. I want you to give me release, and then you will be pleased again." He had reached the point in his desire where orgasm was a must. He knew if he touched her one more time, she would not have the chance to do it herself.

She loved this part. So she asked him in her most seductive voice, "How would you like me to please you?" It always varied.

Sheldon thought a moment and demanded, "I need to see your face beneath me. Touch me…there, while I kiss you like you have never been kissed before. He guided her hand to what they had nick named his Light Saber and went into ecstasy as her hand began to caress it with firm, seductive strokes. "No one has ever made me as hot as you, sexy lady." His tongue started to deeply probe her mouth.

Niki was now ready to give him the same delight he had been giving her. She halted the kissing and informed him, "Hang on, lover. It's about to get really good. Hand me some lotion." When her hands were fully lubricated, Niki began to work her magic and soon made him moan as loudly as she had.

Sheldon fell back, completely spent, his breathing ragged, and his body limp. "Niki." was all he managed to say.

Yes, Sheldon? She asked playfully, removing the blindfold and tracing lazy circles on his chest.

"I can see why this is your favorite game."

She sat up and laughed, "My favorite? I may be mistaken, but I think you enjoy it more than a little bit yourself."

His eyes remained closed and he confessed to her, "I've never had sexual relations like I have with you."

"Sheldon?"

He still kept his eyes closed as her answered her, "Yes love?"

Niki kissed him on his forehead, "Just call it lovemaking or sex. Sexual relations sounds a bit too clinical, doesn't it?"

"Well, you _could_ give a clinic on the subject, Dr. Horner. You have taught me so much about being inventive and vulnerable with lovemaking."

Niki chuckled and left the bed, "That's because you were such a willing pupil. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go get us a towel."

 **End of Day One. How do you think they can top this on Day Two? Also, someone unexpected will Skype Sheldon for his birthday. Anyone have a guess whom it could be?**


	53. Chapter 53

Chapter 53: The Birthday Trip Continues

 **Day one went well. On to day two. Fun and excitement? Not so much. But they do get a very important phone call.**

The sound of the television woke Niki up. Being the creature of habit that he was, Sheldon was watching Dr. Who, as he did every Saturday morning. The only thing missing was ubiquitous bowl of cereal he always had in front of him while watching the show.

"Good morning, sleepyhead." He greeted her with a smile on his face.

She replied, proving once again she was definitely not a morning person, "Ummm…huh?"

Sheldon chuckled; he always got a charge out of how completely nonfunctional his lady was before her morning dose of caffeine. "I have taken the initiative and made you some coffee, would you like me to bring you a cup?"

"Uh, yeah. Sure." She briefly opened one eye, "Thanks," she said as she sat up and took the proffered cup out of his hand.

Sheldon waited a good ten minutes before asking her, "What is on our agenda today?"

Niki took a sip out of her cup, "I don't really know. I hadn't given today a whole lot of thought. Maybe we can go down to California Adventure later and look around. I'd really like to lay here in bed for a while longer."

He grinned in triumph, "Last night wore you out that badly, did it?"

Niki stretched and yawned, "The entire day wore me out for some reason. Anyway, let's make a plan to get some breakfast, shall we?"

Sheldon studied the hotel brochure, "They have a wonderful place to get breakfast right here in the hotel. It's a nice little rustic place called the Storytellers Café. Would you like to do that?"

"Do they have coffee?"

"Is that all you care about, coffee?"

She stretch and yawned once more, "For the next hour or so, yes. But breakfast doesn't sound like a bad idea, either. Just let me lay here a while longer. Then I promise you I will get up and go to breakfast with you."

Sheldon looked over at her, concern written across his face like a billboard, "Niki, are you alright? I've never seen you stay in bed for so long after coffee before."

"I'm fine," she reassured him, "we just had a big day yesterday and a most remarkable night."

He kissed her forehead, "It _was_ quite satisfying, wasn't it?"

"To say the least. Dr. Cooper, life with you will never be dull. Have I told you lately what a fantastic lover you are?"

Sheldon smiled and kissed her again, "Likewise, Dr. Horner. You never disappoint me."

Niki was now fully awake and looked around the room, "Where's the clothes I brought along? Oh yes, I hung them up. Let me finish this coffee, take a quick shower, and then I'll get dressed and we'll go off to get some breakfast." She crossed the room, coffee in hand, and prepared for her morning ritual.

He called out to her, "Will you be safe and secure in there by yourself?"

"Quite. I'm not ready for another go round of last night just yet. Though you give marvelous shower massages."

Sheldon chuckled to himself and centered his attention back on the TV. He had taken his shower before Dr. Who had come on, so Niki was safe in that shower…for now.

After breakfast they headed out to California Adventure to take in some of the rides along the boardwalk. They had a blast driving the cars of the Radiator Springs Racers and Niki absolutely loved looking out over both parks when they rode Mickey's Fun Wheel, an enormous Ferris wheel located close to the lagoon. Then Sheldon suggested they take a walk and check out the Tower of Terror. This ride consisted of riding strapped down to a seat in an elevator that dropped you thirteen stories at a speed faster than that of a free fall. NIki was at first reluctant, but then intrigued when Sheldon explained to her it would give the effect of weightlessness, much as astronauts felt in space. As she had always envied Howard his trips to the Space Station, she was eventually talked into riding the Tower of Terror with him. It had gone something like this:

"Niki," he had attempted to reason with her, "It's a perfectly safe ride or they wouldn't have it in the park. It has an excellent safety record. Plus, if Wollowitz is correct, the feeling of weightlessness is something everyone should experience."

She sighed heavily, "Okay. But if I get sick, it's all on you."

"Why on earth would you get sick?"

Niki explained it to him, "Sheldon, I suffer from extreme vertigo if my head moves too quickly. I've always been this way. I spend most of my time on Space Mountain very dizzy and disoriented. But this ride only goes straight up and down on a track. I think I'll be okay."

She was wrong. The feeling of weightlessness was there, and it caused her to become extremely disoriented and ill. Once off the ride, Niki found the nearest trash can and projectile vomited her breakfast into it. Sheldon immediately went to her, racked with guilt, and attempted to rectify the situation.

"Niki, are you going to be alright?"

Her head finally came up and she wiped her mouth with a tissue she had pulled from her bag, "I'll be fine. In fact, I'm already starting to feel much better. It's amazing what a little puke can do."

He sighed and looked at her with concern, "Well, now we know, no more Tower of Terror."

Niki nodded her head very slowly, "Definitely. But Space Mountain wasn't as bad, I can still ride that."

Sheldon looked off in the distance and saw the huge roller coaster that dominated the California Adventure grounds, "I suppose California Screamin' is out of the question."

"You supposition is correct. I'm sorry, but doing a loop is definitely a no go."

He made a gentle suggestion, "Shall we go back to our room then?"

Niki looked downcast and told him dejectedly, "I know you're disappointed, Sheldon. I feel like I've ruined everything today."

Sheldon pulled her close, "Don't be silly. Besides, I went behind your back and made dinner reservations for us at The Blue Bayou in New Orleans Square at Disneyland. I hear the food is exquisite. What do you think about returning to our room and getting some rest before dinner? I know they have HBO here and if I'm not mistaken, there is a Star Wars movie playing this afternoon. So you see, you have ruined nothing.

Niki replied weakly, "Just what I've always wanted, to be saved by Star Wars. Okay, lead me back to our room. Maybe if I lie down for awhile I will completely recover. I have eaten at The Blue Bayou before. It is quite an experience. Good choice, Sheldon."

They returned quickly to their room where Sheldon watched his Star Wars movie and Niki had a long, restorative, nap.

Niki woke up just as the closing credits for the movie scrolled down the TV screen. She sat up, took stock of her head and stomach and mentally declared herself completely recovered from her vertigo of earlier in the day. "Sheldon, what time is our dinner reservation?"

His eyes left the screen briefly, "Five-thirty. Why?"

"I just read in this brochure that we can watch the World of Color from our balcony. I'd love to be back here in time to see that."

Sheldon rolled over and kissed her nose, "We should be back in plenty of time, Niki. It is now four o'clock. I suppose I should shave and begin to get ready for dinner."

Niki sat up and swung her legs to the floor, "Yes. A nice outfit and makeup is calling my name, also. We don't want to over there looking like slobs."

"Niki, you never look like a slob to me, not even when you are wearing sweats."

She looked back and him and gave him one of her most loving smiles, "Aren't you sweet, sir. You keep talking like that and you could get lucky again tonight."

Sheldon propelled himself out of the bed and told her, "All right. I'll keep that in mind. I don't think I'm up to playing any of our games tonight, though."

Niki shook her head while looking through the closet for her good pair of dress pants, "Neither am I. I think tonight plain old vanilla will do nicely."

"Sometimes plain old vanilla, as you call it, is perfect." He leaned over and kissed her sweetly, "How are you feeling?"

"Completely recovered, thank you. God, I hate vertigo."

"It must be most unpleasant. I am glad that you feel better." He came over to where she was standing and made a suggestion, "Perhaps we can try the Pirates of the Caribbean ride after dinner. Do you think you can handle that one?"

Niki turned and hugged him, "Sheldon, I've never been bothered by that ride. It's so much fun! Yes, let's do that."

So the evening passed most pleasantly. They enjoyed their dinner very much. The Creole cuisine greatly pleased both of them, as well as the decadent desert that followed. Sheldon made a genuine attempt to be romantic and succeeded. On the ride, he held her close and kissed her every time it was completely dark. Niki had been quite pleased with his efforts. They made it back to their room by 7:30 and were comfortably seated on their balcony with cups of tea for each of them when the show began. Niki was entranced by the water, fire, fog, and colored laser lights that made up the show while Sheldon was entranced by having Niki in his arms. That night found our lovers expressing their passion and love for each other in a far more traditional, yet still satisfying, manner than the night before.

 **Day Three**

The next morning found both Niki and Sheldon extremely eager to return to Disneyland. They rose early, had their breakfast at the Storytellers Café once again, and then made their way to the Magic Kingdom.

Niki took Sheldon's hand as they made their way over to the park and asked him, "Do you suppose we can ride the Mark Twain riverboat? That ride is one of my favorites."

"Niki, once we get in the park, I do believe we should make ourselves a schedule to follow. That way we are not going to be wandering around and using up our energy. I am worried about you after yesterday."

She took his hand and informed him, "Sheldon, I feel just fine. Yesterday was just the result of a long day and a wonderful night, plus a major bout of vertigo. I'm feeling great today. But a schedule is a good idea, as long as we don't have to stick to it too strictly. I want the freedom to explore something new if it catches my eye. Agreed?"

"Agreed." They both showed their passes and entered the park. "Ah, here we are. Now, I believe we should find a bench and compose our list of rides and attractions for today."

Niki took out a pen and note pad from her bag, "You go first and I'll do the writing."

He didn't need to ponder long, "Very well. Star Tours."

She wrote it down quickly, "Done. I'll say, Mark Twain Steamboat. Your turn."

He thought for a long moment as she wrote down her choice, "Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.

Niki grinned and listed Sheldon's pick, "A train. Of course. Now, my turn. Pirates of the Caribbean one more time. You're next."

"All right. Indiana Jones." He waited for her to finish writing then asked her, "Niki?"

"I do believe I'd like to go on The Jungle Cruise." That attraction was added to the list.

Sheldon failed to hide his approval of her choice, "Oh, I like that one. Okay, let's see…how about lunch at The Blue Bayou again? I hear their Monte Cristo sandwich is excellent."

Niki nodded in agreement, "That sounds fantastic. Now, after lunch I would like to do Mr. Toad again."

"Only if I can drive," he insisted.

Niki made the point, "You got to drive yesterday."

"Niki, I need the practice."

"Then I'll let you drive us home."

Sheldon surrendered, "Never mind. You may drive."

Niki gave a Cheshire Cat smile and continued, "Good. Now, what do you think we should do next?"

"It's a Small World. We will be foot sore by then and that is very relaxing way to get off of our feet. What about after that? Your turn."

Niki gave the matter some consideration and said, "I say we go back to the hotel for a couple of hours."

"Are you feeling tired again?" He once again became concerned for her health.

"Did I say anything about sleep?"

Sheldon's face lit up and he replied, "Oh. I see. Yes, that is an excellent idea. I believe we agreed on Star Tours for our first stop, did we not?"

"Yep. So let's head off that way and do that."

Sheldon took her hand and led the way towards Star Tours. After a bit he made another suggestion, "And then tonight we can see the fireworks once more and maybe go dancing."

"That is a wonderful idea. Well, let's get started."

By late afternoon they had gone on all the rides Niki had listed and were both more than happy to head back to their room and relax. As Sheldon unlocked the door, his phone rang. It was Raj.

 _Hello, Koothrappali. To what do I owe this intrusion?_

 _Same old Sheldon, even on your birthday weekend._

Sheldon and NIki entered the room and sat on the bed. _I'm sorry. Niki and I have just returned to our room for some rest. But do inform me of the nature of this call._

 _Dude, you know how we are all going on that speaking tour next Monday, right?_

Sheldon rolled his eyes. _Of course I know. How you do underestimate me, Raj._

 _Have you explained to Niki what these tours are like?_

 _I was going to do that tonight. Why?_

 _Well, we're going to be gone for awhile. Isn't it ten days on, seven days off for most of the spring and summer?_

He took the bottle of water that Niki offered him, _Yes. What of it? By the way, we're skipping April's dates. I've had that cleared in advance. I have a couple of social engagements called my wedding day and honeymoon to attend to that there's no getting out of. Nor do I want to._

 _I know that, but outside of April, I won't be seeing a whole lot of Amanda. You will have Niki with you while we travel._

Sheldon was becoming a bit impatient. He wanted his friend to get to the point. _I'm sorry about that, but how can this phone call change that?_

 _It can't. Don't worry, I'll get to the point. What are you guys doing on Wednesday?_

 _Getting ready to leave for the exhaustion and bad food that is a lecture tour. Why?_

 _Dude, I need you and Niki to come to Vegas with me._

His eyes flew wide open. _Why on earth would we want to go to Vegas? Niki and I both neither drink nor gamble._

 _I know that. I need you there, though._

 _Could you kindly inform me as to why?_

 _I want you to be one of my groomsmen at my wedding._

Sheldon wanted time to take this all in so he told Raj, _Wait, let me give you Niki. She's much better than I am at discussing these sorts of things._

 _Wait, Dude, are you coming and do you want to be a groomsman?_

He deliberated for only a second before he agreed. _I suppose my answer is 'yes' to both of those things. Here's Niki._

She took the phone and began to fire off questions, _Raj? What's up? Why are you calling? Is everything okay?_

 _Couldn't be better, Niki. Look, I just informed Sheldon that Amanda and I are getting married in Vegas next week. We both want to do this before our tour starts. Sheldon has agreed to be one of my groomsmen. Amanda wanted you to be her Maid of Honor. Will you do it?_

 _Oh, Raj! Congratulations! I'd love to!_

 _Good. We're all planning on flying out there on Tuesday night. So you two should be home in time._

 _Yeah, we'll have to cut this weekend a little short, but we can be home by Monday afternoon._ She looked over at Sheldon, "Is that okay with you?" He nodded his head. _He agreed. We'll see you when we get home._

 _Okay. Put Sheldon back on._

 _Raj?_

 _Dude, thanks for changing your plans for us. I really appreciate that._

 _I think we will have done and seen everything we have set out to do and see by tomorrow morning. This poses no great inconvenience to either of us. Oh, Koothrappali?_

 _Yeah?_

 _Thank you both for asking us to be a part of your wedding._

 _Well, Amanda and I are going to be a part of yours. That's what friends do._

Sheldon was truly moved by his friend's words, " _You are correct. That is what friends do. I must go now. Niki and I want to get some rest before we go back out tonight for the fireworks._

 _I get it, Dude. A little fireworks before the fireworks. I'll let you go then. Sheldon?_

 _Yes, Raj?_

 _Thanks for being my friend._

 _That means a great deal to me. Not that anyone wouldn't want me for their friend. I'm quite a good friend to have._

 _I'd love to disagree with that, but I can't. Talk to you tomorrow._

 _Very well. Goodbye, Koothrappali._

 _Goodbye, Sheldon. Tell Niki 'bye, too._

Sheldon ended the call and said to Niki, "Raj said for me to tell you goodbye. So, goodbye from Raj."

Niki grinned, "So, Raj and Amanda are beating us to the altar. I never saw that one coming. How long was he dating Emily with no ring in sight?"

Sheldon answered her quickly, "Over ten years. The workings of the human mind never cease to amaze me. Here is Koothrappali, marrying a woman he has only known for a few months."

Niki reminded him, "Sheldon, you proposed to me after only knowing me a few months."

He countered with, "But by our wedding date we will have known each other well over a year."

"Yes, but if you had been preparing for a speaking tour that would have taken you away from me a majority of the time for months on end, what would you have done?"

He smiled and responded in a teasing voice, "Married you in a courthouse and then given you the wedding you wanted when I was finished with my obligations."

Niki pondered that idea for a minute and then suggested to him, "Maybe that is what Raj is doing."

"Perhaps. I never thought of that. Good point, Niki. Anyway, it seems we get to be part of the wedding party."

Niki stared over at her closet, "I wonder what we are going to use as bridesmaids dresses. You still have a good suit from the prom."

He nodded and then took her in his arms, "I do believe I will use that. We can ask them more tomorrow. Now, I do believe we have some unfinished business to attend to."

Niki backed away, "You sure know how to sweep a girl off her feet, Cooper."

Sheldon realized that his offer had not been very romantic, "All right. Let me rephrase that. Niki Horner, my lovely, intelligent, sexy, brilliant, fiancé, would you consent to making mad, passionate love with me? There is no one but you in my heart and in my life, and there never will be."

Niki was touched, "Now that's what I'm talking about, Sheldon. Much better." She returned to his embrace once more.

"Good, because I am incredible aroused by you and don't care to waste a perfectly good erection on my hand."

Niki backed off again, "On the other hand, we'll keep working on your seduction skills. But to answer your question, 'yes', I would love to do the nasty with you."

He complained, "That wasn't romantic at all."

"Says the man whose bedroom talk consisted of him telling me he preferred me to masturbation."

Sheldon took her back into his arms and started to kiss her cheeks, lips, neck, and shoulders. "Perhaps I should let my body language do the talking."

Niki melted into him, she always did. "That sounds like a very good idea. How much time do we have now?" she asked him.

"Two and a half hours."

Niki returned his kisses and took a break to inform him, "That should be enough time. Now, let me continue my in-depth research on your body.

Sheldon melted into her, as he always did. "Dr. Horner, I love it when you talk dirty."

Niki began to undress him, "Cooper, actions speak louder than words."

He began to remove hers clothes, also. "So they do. So they do."

Once again, Niki and Sheldon found their secluded seats and half-heartedly watched the fireworks. They were both more intent on each other than the colors bursting above them in the sky. When the show was over, they made their way back up Main Street and headed towards the exit.

Sheldon tucked her arm in his and asked, "Do you have an idea as to what you'd like to do for dinner?"

Niki hadn't a clue and responded, "None, whatsoever. How about ordering some room service? I'd love to spend our last night here just relaxing and enjoying each other's company."

"I agree. There is something very relaxing about going out on the balcony and having a cup of tea."

They reached their room and sat down to discuss dinner.

Niki started the conversation, "Okay. What shall we order for dinner?"

Sheldon made a suggestion, "The lobster the other night was a fine indulgence."

Niki demurred, "Lobster again? I don't know. How about Italian?"

"Pizza?" he asked hopefully.

Nikii made a face, "We have pizza all the time at home. How about some Chicken Marsala or a nice lasagna?"

Sheldon's face lit up, "Niki, I've had a wonderful idea! Veal Parmesan for me and whatever you would like."

"Chicken Marsala sounds good. With some of that non-alcoholic champagne they have."

Sheldon crossed the room and headed for the phone that connected with the lobby, "As you wish. I will call down our order right now."

After dinner, they sat out on the balcony and talked.

Niki smiled dreamily, "Sheldon, the last couple of days have been very special to me. Even though it's not my birthday."

He agreed with her, "I have enjoyed them, also. We so seldom get to spend time alone. I'm off with Leonard, Raj, and Howard quite a bit while you're with Penny and the rest of the ladies."

Niki added, "And on weekends, if I don't go to paintball with you, we really only spend Saturday together."

Sheldon gave her a worried look, "Do you think that should change?"

She shook her head and took his hand in hers, "No, I don't. I love having lives apart from each other sometimes. However, I think once every month, we should schedule a weekend away together. After this tour wraps up, that is."

Sheldon's face became serious, "About the tour, Raj reminded me that I haven't totally explained it to you."

Niki wasn't sure she wanted to hear all the gruesome details, but she knew she should, "Okay. Tell me about it."

He began, "This first leg is going to be totally on the east coast. Pack warm clothing. We are going to do seven cities in ten days. Not a lot of rest."

"Okay, seven cities in ten days. That doesn't sound too bad."

Sheldon held up his hand, "Wait. I'll describe it further. Every morning at four a.m., we will be awakened and driven to some insipid morning show most generally hosted by two people neither one of us would come anywhere near in real life. Bouncy, perky, woman and witty, smarmy male. It's de rigueur, they are always the same."

"Oh god."

Sheldon continued in a sad voice, "Wait, there's more. They will not want to know a single thing about our work. My guess is they will play up the 'women in science are not all geeky looking' angle and put you in more makeup than you have ever worn in your life and a suit that screams 'sexy, but not slutty'. I, on the other hand, will be dressed up in a suit that would even be too much for Raj's wedding. If they have gotten wind of our relationship, that is what they will focus on entirely. Not our work. It will be both frustrating and boring at the same time. This morning show will happen in almost every major city we visit. Be prepared. After the show, we will be allowed to get a quick breakfast and we will be hustled off to several radio interviews. Some of the hosts will talk about our work and others will be a rinse and repeat of the morning show. We will be allowed a brief break before we are presented as speakers at a well known university. This will be the best part of the day, but most likely we will be far too tired to enjoy it. When the lecture ends, we will have a meet and greet with the faculty and administration which will go on far too long and which will be centered on alcohol. Good times there. Finally, we will have a late dinner and then we will have to catch a plane to the next city. We will arrive there in the middle of the night and have two to three hours of sleep before we are woken up again at four a.m. and treated to a day much like the first. We will have ten days of that. Thank goodness in the middle of all that we will have two actual days off. We will need it. Niki that is what this tour will be like. Do you think you can handle it?"

Her eyes were wide in disbelief and she responded with, "As Penny would say, 'Holy crap on a cracker!' Why are we doing this again?"

He gave her a wan smile, "Because it was part of the deal we cut with Binary. They want their stars out there shining. But if it wasn't Binary, it would have been Cal Tech demanding the same thing. The only difference here is that we will actually be pocketing some of the money we are making from this. If we were still affiliated with Cal Tech, the school would have taken it all and gave us a small stipend and paid for our travel, meals, and lodging."

Niki put her head in her hands, "How depressing."

"Cheer up. We will be done by the end of July. Then we can go back to researching something else and do all this again if we are successful. Such a life, right?"

Niki looked up and rolled her eyes, "Just kill me. The only part I like of that is coming home to do more research.

Sheldon grinned and patted her hand, "Cheer up, Niki. We will be together at least. Raj and Amanda, on the other hand, will not. After hearing our schedule, you can see why there would be no chance for them to see each other or really share any quality time if she came to visit him."

"Well, they'll have almost a week together after they are married. At least they'll have that. And there is a week off between the ten day tours, right?"

He nodded wearily, "Yes, but it will be spent mostly catching up on sleep, or trying to, anyway. I can't stress enough how exhausting it will be. But do it we will. Just get your perky ready to go."

Niki protested, "Sheldon, I don't do perky."

"I have one word for you. Learn."

The next day they returned home and began to prepare and pack for going to Las Vegas for Raj and Amanda's wedding.

 **So, Raj and Amanda beat Sheldon and Niki to the altar! That was a surprise. That idea came to me in the shower, so I went with it. Sheldon in Las Vegas? This could be good.**


	54. Chapter 54

Chapter 54: Viva, Las Vegas!

 **Sheldon Cooper and Las Vegas. Part One. Two things that, on the surface, seem to not go together at all**. **But stranger things have happened.**

When they returned to Altadena, the first thing Niki did after unpacking was call Amanda.

Amanda answered her phone. _Hello?_

 _Girl, it's me, Niki. Raj called us yesterday. This is so sudden. I'm happy for you guys, but we need to talk about what I will do as Maid of Honor. What about my dress? Do you have any dresses picked out for us?_

 _Okay. I wanted you for my Maid of Honor, and I've picked Penny, Bernie, and Georgia as my bridesmaids. I want you guys to wear what you wore to the prom for our wedding._

 _Our dresses were all different shades of red._

 _I know. That sounds perfect to me._

 _Red? You want us to wear our Prom dresses? But their red, sexy, and show a lot of skin._

 _Exactly. I want my bridesmaid's dresses to reflect how we all want our marriages to be. How we want to live your lives together. Niki, do you want your married life to be sexy, or do you want to be a modern day Scarlett O'Hara? I want sexy._

 _I understand that, but have you seen our dresses?_

 _Yeah, Penny showed me pictures. They're perfect._

 _Okay. At least I won't have to buy a dress by tomorrow._

 _That's one way of looking at it._

 _When's the wedding?_

 _Wednesday night._

 _I think Sheldon and I will drive up tomorrow night and stay for a couple of days. We don't leave for the tour until Sunday night._

 _Yeah, I know._

 _I'm sorry. I forgot you won't be going with Raj. But it's only for ten days. And you will be Raj's wife! I'm still having trouble wrapping my head around that._

 _YOU are? He just came out and asked me on Saturday. We planned like mad and, well, here we are._

 _I hope you know you're getting a top notch guy as a husband._

 _Yep, I know. That's why I said yes._

 _Look, I'll let you get back to what you were doing. Sheldon and I have a lot of unpacking and repacking to do. Tell Raj we are both happy for him and we'll be there Wednesday night. Is the school okay with this?_

 _Sure. They've gotten an adjunct to teach my classes for a few days. It's not unheard of. Niki, we'll call you when we get there. It's going to be at seven at the Bellagio Wedding Chapel. Raj just came in and I have to go._

 _Got it. We'll be there. See you there._

 _Okay. Bye._

After she ended the call, Niki looked up from her unpacking and smiled, "Sheldon, we won't have to leave for Vegas until tomorrow night. I'm glad we have reservations for both Tuesday and Wednesday."

He sat down on the couch and patted the seat next to him. She joined him there and he asked her, "I have not been to Las Vegas in many, many years. Has it changed at all? What can I expect?"

Niki debated telling him a white lie, but decided on the truth, "It's still the same. Lots of neon lights, smoking, crowds, and noise. All things you hate."

"I do wish Raj could have it right here."

Niki reached for her phone, "Wait. Maybe they could. Let's call them."

Sheldon stopped her by laying a hand on her arm, "Niki, don't. Raj has texted me that they chose this location because they could have a honeymoon there for a few days before we left. Now I detest the idea of all the people and the germs, but I handle Disneyland without too much of a problem. Niki, Raj is our friend. If I have to, I will stay in our room until the actual ceremony."

Niki put her phone away and nodded, "All right, Sheldon. I understand about letting them have the wedding they want. Do you realize that outside of Stuart, you will be the last of you guys to get married?"

Sheldon reminded her, "Niki, I was married before. Have you forgotten that fact?" He noticed an embarrassed look on her face and squeezed her hand gently, "Let's just say I have been incredible lucky twice when it has come to women."

Niki smiled at him to let him know the awkward moment had passed, "You're right, of course. Well, let's unpack and order in some Thai food. Does that sound like a good idea?"

"How about you making us a pizza? "

Niki thought of all the unpacking, laundry, and repacking she had to do in the next twenty four hours and sighed, "Tomorrow I will make us pizza. I promise. Tonight, I'm too tired to think of that."

Sheldon inwardly chided himself for his selfish request and replied, "Tomorrow night we will be in Las Vegas. We can have your pizza another time."

"Okay, when we get back I'll make us pizza. But tonight, please order us some Thai."

"Of course. Lend me your phone. Mine is still packed away in my bags somewhere."

Niki unpacked her suitcase for the third time in one week and sighed, "I guess I'll have to get used to this. Packing, then unpacking, and then packing again." They had arrived in Las Vegas less than an hour previously and were still getting settled.

Sheldon sat down on the bed and tried to explain the clothing routine they would be facing, "You won't unpack as much as you think you will. You're not going to believe this, but those morning shows have clothes ready for you to wear when you get there. You just show up in your sweats or jeans and they do the rest. They pick your makeup, do your hair in a style they choose, and give you a list of questions they will be asking you."

"Can you object to any of the questions?" She needed to know this in advance. She didn't want to answer any questions she deemed too personal.

Sheldon shrugged and continued with his explanation, "You can, but unless you're an A Lister, it won't do you much good. They'll sandwich us in between two guests who are better known and give us about ten minutes. It's pure hell."

Niki finally sat down next to him and asked, "But we'll get money for this?"

Sheldon's smile grew wide and he said, "Oh yes. That's why we're doing this. After Binary takes their cut, we will both net about seventy five thousand dollars for our time on this tour."

"That doesn't sound like a lot of money for disrupting your life for several months."

Sheldon gently scolded her, "People in the military make much less than that and their lives are often disrupted. I know it isn't comfortable to be on the road, but we need to make some money, Niki. After purchasing our property, financing the Fourth, Disneyland, Christmas presents, my new car, and our wedding, this money will come in handy.

Niki sighed and responded to his chiding, "I understand. I have no right to complain, but I'm still going to hate it."

"You might not. Most people do, but some thrive on it. I think it's being the center of attention for several months. Their egos are properly fed."

Niki got up and looked inside the mini fridge. She wondered if he had been talking about himself. She hoped not. "Mine doesn't need feeding, thank you. But the money? Yeah, I could use that."

"And that, Dr. Horner, is why we will be part of a traveling circus for awhile." Sheldon then began to unpack his own bags.

When he was finished, Niki made a suggestion, "Okay. Now that we're unpacked, let's get us some dinner."

Before they could order anything, a knock came on the door.

A familiar voice rang out before Niki had a chance to get the door, "Hey, guys! Are you ready to party?" When Niki opened the door, Penny pointed down the hall and said, "Sheldon, Bachelor Party is in Raj's room, 321. Amanda's is right here!"

Sheldon stood to one side open-mouthed as Penny and the rest of the ladies waltzed into the room. "Sheldon," Penny ordered him, "Out. Room 321, remember?"

Sheldon rediscovered the power of speech and demanded, "Who decided this room would be the site for the ladies' party? Niki? Were you in on this?"

Niki looked at Sheldon and exclaimed, "God no, honey!" She shook her head and in a firm voice told them, "Girls, not here. Sheldon and I just got back from Disneyland yesterday and we drove all the way out here to be in Raj's wedding. We both need to rest, not party. Penny, I hate to say this, but take the party over to your room. Sheldon can go to Raj's room if he wants, but I'm staying right here and resting."

Penny took a seat and tried to reason with her, "Nik, I understand you being tired, but you're leaving on Monday for a road trip and this may be our last chance to have some fun together before you leave."

Niki stood firm, "Nope. Not buying it, Penny. We have the wedding and the reception tomorrow. We'll have lots of time to have fun. I'm sorry, but tonight I want to get some dinner and sleep. Like I said, Sheldon can go with the guys if he wants to, but I'm staying put."

Sheldon finally found his phone and explained to the ladies, "I will call Raj and inform him myself that we just got in and if they want to throw a bachelor party, they should have told us before this. Last minute doesn't work for me right now."

Niki backed him up, "Nor I. Penny, let me explain this to you so you'll understand. Sheldon and I are tired. We love both you and Raj, but we don't want to party tonight. It isn't a feasible thing to ask of two people who just finished driving four hours to get here. I do believe Raj told us you all were flying in. Am I correct?"

Penny tried to reason with Sheldon, "But don't you want to see Raj while he is still single?"

He responded in a voice that left no room for argument, "Dear lord, I see Howard and Leonard all the time and they're married. I don't see a wedding making any difference in the amount of time Raj and I spend together. We do work in the same facility and see each other almost every day. "Besides, Raj is going on tour with us. I will have all the time in the world to see him."

Bernie backed Sheldon up, "Penny, he has a point. And Niki does look beat. Hey, I know! The wedding isn't until tomorrow night. We can have both parties tomorrow at noon. How does that sound, Niki?

Niki's face broke out in a wide grin and she told Bernie, "If Penny's okay with that, it sounds great to me. Penny?"

Her friend looked more than a little guilty and shamed, "Sure. I guess I wasn't thinking. I got caught up in all the excitement. I forgot you guys drove all the way out here. Sorry. Will you be willing to have it here tomorrow, Niki?"

"Of course. I'll be more rested and better able to enjoy myself."

Penny conceded defeat, "Okay. We'll tell Raj. It actually works out better that way. I guess we should all get some dinner and some rest. We're all going to have a big day tomorrow. I'll call you about eleven?"

Niki smiled at her friend, "You better. Oh, Bernie, thanks for explaining it to her. We're not trying to be difficult or anything."

"Oh I know." Bernie studied Niki closely, "I've been there. Get your rest, girl. See you tomorrow."

After they all had left, Sheldon looked at her and suggested, "Forget about going downstairs for dinner. I'll order room service. You're right, we need to rest and you look very tired. Niki, I insist on driving home.

"Thanks, Cooper. It's appreciated. I just want to rest and get my mojo back before we leave."

Sheldon kissed the top of her head and went over to the bed, "We could both use that." He picked up a menu on the nightstand, "What sounds good to you?"

She shrugged and gave a wan smile, "Maybe some soup and Chinese food, if they have it."

"Chinese it is. Let's eat and get ready for bed. It seems we will both be having a full day tomorrow."

Niki began to undress, "Ain't that the truth? Sheldon, you order while I take my shower. I can't wait for the wedding tomorrow and I want to look my best."

He smiled as he watched her naked form cross the room, "As do I. Raj is a good friend. I have never forgotten if it hadn't been for him, we would never have met."

"I know." She went over to him and ran her hands over his chest and kissed him passionately, "You know, I'm not too tired for some things."

"I see that, Dr. Horner. But shall we have dinner and our showers first?"

The next morning found Niki ensconced with Penny, Bernadette, Amanda, and Georgia in her and Sheldon's hotel suite. They were all talking excitedly about the wedding and giving Amanda hints about what was to come with married life.

Bernie started the conversation, "You become their mother as well as their wife. They never clean up after themselves, so it's like you have two full time jobs."

Niki countered that with, "I just hired a cleaning service. Not because Sheldon won't clean, but because he likes it too much. He would spend every evening cleaning if I let him. This way, we actually spend some quality time together."

Bernie grinned, "Want to trade? You know, I give you a short, horny, engineer for a tall, horny, physicist?"

Niki shook her head and shuddered, "I don't think so. I've seen Howard in action."

Bernie narrowed her eyes and replied sharply, "I've seen Sheldon in action too, and he's no walk in the park on a sunny day."

Niki was quick to defend her man, "Sheldon doesn't make rude comments to other women and avoid splitting the bill for lunch."

Bernie defended her man, "So he's thrifty! At least Howard has a sense of humor."

Niki knew when she was beat, "You've got me there."

Penny entered the fray, "What about Leonard? Have either of you ever had to build up someone's self esteem on a daily basis?"

Niki sighed, "I can't go there. Sheldon has an ego the size of Jupiter."

Bernie fired her final shot, "Only as large as Jupiter, huh?"

Amanda had heard enough, "Guys, guys, I know none of your men is perfect, but you still love them. Right?"

Bernie nodded and replied, "Yeah. Howie's really a pretty good husband. He's a fantastic father, too."

Niki smiled at Bernie and added, "That he is. Between the two of you, you've raised an amazing daughter."

Nice Bernie suddenly came out to play, "I'm sure you and Sheldon will be good parents when it's your turn, too."

Niki sighed once more, "One can only hope." She decided to change the subject. "Penny, do you know if you're having a boy or a girl?"

"Not yet, but soon. I'm not quite four months along."

Georgia asked her, "Do you guys feel ready to be parents?"

Penny gave a little laugh, "Does anyone? I'm a little scared. But mostly, I'm happy and excited."

Niki couldn't help adding, "And Leonard?"

"He's over the moon. Say, Amanda, do you and Raj want any kids?"

"No, not really, Penny. We have Cinnamon."

Bernie was puzzled and stated, "But she's a dog."

Amanda put her finger to her lips, "Shhh. Don't tell Raj, okay? NIki, are you nervous about marrying Sheldon?"

"No, not really. I was married before, so I know the drill."

Georgia countered that statement with, "But you've never been married to Sheldon."

Niki gave a shrug of her shoulders and replied, "No, but we've lived together for a while now. He's not hard to accommodate."

Penny spoke up and asked her in an incredulous voice, "You're kidding, right? He drove me and Leonard up the wall."

"Yeah, so I've heard. No, he's been pretty nice to live with, for the most part. He hates to sleep in, though, and that drives me crazy."

Penny asked her, "Still watches Dr. Who at six in the morning every damn Saturday?"

Niki nodded and continued, "You got it. He also insists on taking at least two showers per day and sorting his breakfast cereals by fiber content. That's not too bad, though.

Bernie had to know, "Does he have his 'spot' on your couch?"

"Oh yeah, that he does. And I'm not allowed to sit there, either."

Amanda winced, "I couldn't live with that."

Niki decided she had better start defending him; he was going to be her husband, after all. "But he has good qualities. He never eyes other women, he's more than willing to help me clean when necessary, he great at packing suitcases, and he is more than willing to give me my space. He likes his own space, too."

Georgia looked over at Bernadette, "What's it like being married to Howard?"

"That's easy to answer. It's like having two kids, and one of them sleeps with you."

Amanda sounded worried, "But you guys make it work, right?"

Bernie reassured her friend, "Yeah, he's lucky I'm crazy in love with him. That's the key. Work at staying in love, even if you don't like them sometimes. That goes for both men and women."

Amanda smiled and looked dreamy eyed, "I'll always like Raj."

Penny laughed loudly and then informed Raj's intended, "Yep, you've never been married before. Girl, there will be times it's only the threat of the death penalty that keeps them alive. Leonard can be a little needy and whiny. It's gets tough sometimes to deal with that. And then there's his mother…" Penny rolled her eyes.

Niki blurted out, "What about Stuart? We haven't asked Georgia about Stuart."

Georgia answered her kindly, "Stuart and I don't live together, yet. I have my son to think about. If and when we get engaged, I think that's when we'll move in together."

Penny agreed with her, "Yeah, that's best for your son. He likes Stuart, right?"

"He adores him. Hey, Amanda, are you staying here for your honeymoon?"

"Yep. And Bernie, please keep Howard from pranking us." She looked at Bernie, who was about to object, "He'd do it, too."

Bernie had to admit it and grinned, "Don't I know it. Hey, does anyone want a little wine?" She got up and went to the mini fridge.

Penny shook her head and replied, "Niki and I don't drink, but you guys can."

Niki had a suggestion, "At Disneyland, they had this amazing alcohol free champagne. We ought to see if they have it here."

Amanda nodded in reply, "We can have it at the reception if they do. Nik, are you and Sheldon going to dance at the reception?"

"Try and stop us."

Penny told the group, "It's so strange watching Sheldon dance. You wouldn't think he'd be good at it, but he really is great."

A mischievous grin filled Niki's face, "It's like anything else, men just need the proper motivation. They're like children sometimes."

The ladies all broke into loud laughter.

Amanda asked them in a worried voice, "Surely they aren't really that childlike?"

Penny gave a short laugh and reassured the bride-to-be, "Well, they have their moments, but we all do, I guess. Actually, we're kinda exaggerating. Most of the time they really do act like grown men."

Meanwhile, in Raj's room….

The guys each have a game controller in their hands, playing Halo in teams. Raj, and Howard make up one team and Sheldon and Leonard make up another. Stuart doesn't like Halo so he is merely being a spectator. Next to each man is a half empty bottle of beer and a piece of pizza. Shouts of "Cover me!", "Gotcha sucka!", "Take that!" Oh yeah, well watch this!", "Oh no you didn't!", and the proverbial "I'm on a roll!" are heard.

Leonard calls for a break and asks, "Who needs another beer?"

They all answer in unison, "I do!" They each grab a beer from Leonard and the battle continues.

Eventually, Sheldon puts his beer down and speaks for all of them when he says, "I must commend you, Koothrappali. I thought your wedding was going to ruin Halo night. It seems I sold you short. I came here expecting the usual boring Bachelor Party."

Raj took a swig of beer and informed the group, "Guys, we love our ladies, but nothing comes between us and Halo Night! Even if it has to be in the afternoon."

Chants of "Halo, Halo, Halo!" fill the room.

One hour before the ceremony, all the women met in the bride's dressing room to help Amanda with her dress and to change into their former prom dresses turned bridesmaid dresses. Amanda pulled out a garment bag, opened it, and revealed her wedding dress to them. It was not the white, lacy, gown they had expected, but rather a gorgeous red and gold, one shouldered, sari. The style of dress suited Amanda perfectly. It highlighted her emerald green eyes and amazing figure.

Penny was the first to speak, "That has got to be the most gorgeous wedding dress I have ever seen. Did you pick it out because of Raj being from India?"

"No. Not at all. I've always loved wearing a sari around the house. The simpler ones are both comfortable and flattering. A win/win in my book. For what it's worth, Raj wanted me to go all out with the lace, satin, and tulle. I told him I was sorry, but that isn't my style. He was disappointed, but he said his parents would be happy when they got the wedding pics."

Bernie chirped, "Hey, he's marrying you, not a dress."

Niki added, "Besides, that's one gorgeous dress. I'm actually a little jealous. Those colors are amazing!"

Amanda smiled at her friends, happy they agreed with her choice. "Now do you guys see why I wanted you to wear your prom dresses? They all go so great with this sari."

Georgia looked at all of them and said, "Well, they're all red, but they don't look anything alike."

Amanda looked at all her girlfriends individually and then made the point, "Think about it. Neither do you guys. You're all different, yet beautiful in your own way. Bernie, you've got cute little blonde spitfire down pat. Penny, blonde bombshell pretty much says it all. Niki, you're the girl next door with a hint of naughty running through her. That's hot! Georgia, you look exotic and chic at the same time. You may have the most intriguing look of all of us. And your eyes are amazing! Me, I'm just a tall, busty, brunette."

Niki added, "With green cat's eyes."

Penny continued that thought, "And perfect teeth."

Bernadette finished their observations with, "And a tiny waist to die for!"

Amanda signaled them to stop, "Okay, girls. Let's just leave it at we're all attractive women. Now, let's talk about the guys. Let's start with Leonard. Penny, why are you attracted to Leonard?"

She thought for a second and then said, "Well, he's got the kindest heart I've ever known. He's always got my back. He's a really good lover. He's really funny most of the time and he's super, duper smart."

Amanda grinned at her, "Awesome. Now, Niki. What do you like best about Sheldon?"

Niki didn't take long to answer her, "He's loyal, he's tall, he's the most intelligent person I've ever met, he's totally honest, he's got the bluest eyes I've ever seen, and he's great in bed."

Amanda's smile went wide and she looked at Bernadette, "Great. Now Bernie. What turns you on about Howard?"

Bernie, like Niki, answered quickly, "He's a great father. Like Sheldon, he's really loyal. He's so, so, funny. He's really caring. And he makes me feel like I'm the most desirable woman on earth. Plus, he's good with his hands. Both at work and …"

Amanda nodded and smiled, "Got it. Now, Georgia. What do you love most about Stuart?"

Georgia's face softened and she replied, "He's kind. He's smart. He's caring. He cares about both me and my son. And, he's very romantic and sweet, especially you-know-where."

Amanda giggled and told them, "Got us some studs here, huh? I love that."

Bernie challenged her, "Okay, Amanda. Why are you marrying Raj?"

She answered, "He's cute. He's a great cook. He's got a fantastic sense of humor. He's very romantic. He's an astrophysicist, like me. And he is wicked good in bed. Plus, I love his dog, too. Cinnamon may have stolen my heart even before Raj did.

Niki nodded and followed with, "So, we're all happy with our men. That's good. Now comes the difficult question. What bugs you most about your guy? Penny?"

"Leonard can be insecure and whiny sometimes. Niki?"

"Sheldon can be critical of others and stubborn. Bernie?"

"Howard can act very immature sometimes. Georgia?"

"Like Leonard, Stuart can be insecure. He can be a bit of a pessimist, too."

Bernie looked at Amanda and demanded, "Okay, sister. What about Raj? What bugs you the most about him?"

"His nerdy side. He loves gaming and is always hosting Halo nights at our house. Every damn Wednesday, Howard, Leonard, Sheldon, and Stuart are there. I love the guys, but the gaming can drive me nuts."

Penny countered that with, "I like to think of it as a chance for some 'me time'."

Bernie agreed with her, "Me too!"

Niki nodded and told her friends, "I hear ya. I think the best thing about all of these guys is that they have a full life besides us. They do their own things a lot and let us do ours. But you know what? We should alternate holding Halo night. Amanda does have the guys over every Wednesday. It wouldn't hurt us to share hosting duties."

Bernie reminded her, "Wednesday is a school night for Kelly. No can do."

"Okay, Amanda, Penny, and I will split the responsibility. But summers and vacations you're part of this. Okay?"

Amanda agreed, "Sure. I wouldn't want them to not see each other. Can you imagine if they tried to get us to do those things with them?"

Penny nodded, "You're right. They have their friends to talk to about comic books, gaming, and Star Trek. So they don't bore us to tears with it."

Niki reached for her dress and looked at Penny, "Ain't that the truth. I still don't get what's so great about Dr. Who, but Sheldon watches it religiously."

Amanda looked at the clock and gasped, "Girls, look at the time! We should be getting ready now. In one more hour, I'll be Mrs. Rajesh Koothrappali!"

Meanwhile, the men were in their own dressing room, preparing for Raj's big day.

Howard looked up from fastening his cuff links, "Just think, in a little less than an hour you will have gained a ball and chain. Your bachelor days of fun and games will be over."

Raj stared at his friend in consternation, "Excuse me. How is Amanda a ball and chain?"

Howard continued explaining his point, "C'mon, Raj. You know the reality. Once you're married it's all honey do lists and nagging."

Sheldon finished tying his tie and interjected, "Amy never nagged much. And NIki never has."

Leonard added, "Penny has never given me a honey do list. What are you talking about?"

Raj stood up and checked his appearance in the mirror, "Dudes, Amanda is an independent woman. She's not about to hand me any kind of list. And speaking of ball and chains, don't you guys come over to play Halo every Wednesday. And don't we all get together on Sundays for laser tag or paintball? Where do you get this 'ball and chain' bit from, Howard?"

Howard looked at each of them and shook his head sadly, "C'mon. Be honest fellas. Our freewheeling bachelor days are behind us."

Sheldon went over to him and reminded him, "As I recall, our freewheeling bachelor days consisted of Halo night, laser tag, paintball, kite fighting, video game marathons, and going to the comic book store. I may be mistaken, Howard, but we still do all of those things."

Leonard agreed with him, "Yeah, what freedom have we lost exactly? Howard?"

Howard turned to them and sighed, "Well, for one, we can't just see a hot chick and move on in. You know what I mean?"

Raj attempted to bring his friend back to reality, "Howard, first of all, we never had the guts to do that. Second, our ladies are all hot chicks. Have you looked at them lately?"

Stuart voiced his own opinion, "Yeah, Howard. If we want to be honest here, Penny, Niki, Bernadette, Georgia, and Amanda are all out of our league. Personally, I don't know how we did it."

Sheldon picked up his suit jacket, "I can only speak for myself, but I find Niki extremely attractive."

Leonard ran a comb through his hair and agreed with his friend, "Yeah. I sometimes pinch myself wondering how I managed to have a wife like Penny."

Stuart straightened his tie, "Georgia is more than I ever thought it was possible for me to have, fellas. She's beautiful!"

Raj joined in, "Dude, Amanda turns heads wherever she goes. Remember the Physics Bowl?"

Howard had to happily concede defeat, "Okay, okay. I guess we all did do okay. Bernie is a beautiful, intelligent woman and I guess I sometimes have a hard time believing she wanted to marry me."

Sheldon held up his hand, "Listen. I hear music. I do believe it's time we made our way into the chapel."

Leonard had a big smile for his friend, "Hey, Raj. In a little while you are going to be married to a wonderful lady."

"Don't I know it. Let's go. I don't want to be late to my own wedding."

 **Will the wedding go off without a hitch? Will Sheldon and Niki explore Las Vegas? Will the guys ever finish their Halo game? Read on and find out.**


	55. Chapter 55

Chapter 55: Viva Las Vegas! Part 2

 **Well, well, well. There is a surprise guest attending and the result is pure chaos.**

Niki looked out at the chapel through the two-way glass window and made the comment, "I wasn't expecting a crowd, but there are actually guests for this wedding."

Bernie's curiosity got the better of her and she joined Niki at the window, "Those people on the right must be Amanda's family. I don't recognize any of them. Her father's kind of hot, though. I can see where she got her looks."

Niki agreed, "Preach it, girl. He's cute!"

Bernie continued to spy on the wedding guests, "I recognize Raj's parents and their new spouses, but…wait. No, it's not. It couldn't be!"

Niki looked out the window again and asked her friend, "It couldn't be what? Or who?"

Bernie muttered to herself as much as anyone else, "Raj wouldn't invite his sister, would he?"

Penny's head snapped to attention and she shrieked, "THAT BITCH IS OUT THERE?"

Niki took a step back from the glass and looked over at Penny, "What? Fill me in, girls."

Bernie began to explain, "It's Priya, Raj's sister."

Niki still couldn't understand why Penny was so upset, "So what? It only seems right that he would invite his own sister to his wedding."

Bernie took her explanation one step further, "You don't understand. Priya used to date Leonard when he and Penny were broken up once. She went out of her way to make things very uncomfortable for everyone. FYI, Sheldon loathes her."

The pieces were starting to fall into place and Niki asked in a confused voice, "Wait, he chose Leonard as his Best Man and Penny as a Bridesmaid and then invited his sister to come?"

Amanda sighed and made the comment, "Sometimes Raj doesn't think."

Niki nodded, "Yeah, I can see that."

Penny eyes were like molten green glass and her fists were clenched, "I'm gonna kill her."

Niki tried to became the voice of reason, "Penny, let's not ruin their big day. Let it go. Leonard married you, not her."

Penny joined her at the window and pointed something out to her, "Look at Sheldon. Does it look like he's letting it go?"

Niki saw Sheldon staring at Raj's sister with evil intent, "Wow! I guess not. Why does he hate her?"

Bernie looked at Sheldon and clarified the issue for Niki, "She just knew how to push his buttons and went out of her way to do it all the time. Amy hated her, too. She one time suggested we throw feces at her."

Niki frowned and asked, "Wasn't that a little extreme?"

Penny chimed in, "You'd think so, but no."

Niki took a closer look at Raj's sister and almost choked. She knew exactly who Priya was and she now knew she didn't like her any better than any of the others. Much like Penny, she wanted to kill her. Metaphorically, of course, but still… Nike called her friends over and gathered them into a huddle, "Ladies, I know that girl. Don't ask me anymore, I'll tell you later. But, as far as Priya goes, flinging feces sounds pretty darn good right now. Look, I have an idea on how to handle Priya. Just go with me here, okay?"

Bernie's eyes were shining, "What do you want us to do? Shoot her dirty looks? Give her the subtle finger?"

Niki shook her head, "No. Better than that. Just trust me. Amanda, I won't ruin your big day unless she pushes it, trust me. But I know her, and she is evil. For now, ignore her. I'll tend to Miss Priya later."

The processional music began to play and Penny reminded them, "Okay, it's about time for us to get ourselves out there."

Amanda protested, "But she's Raj's sister. She can't be evil."

Niki countered that with, "Oh yeah? Ask Penny, or Sheldon, or me. Your intended is the salt of the earth. His sister is not."

Amanda pleaded with her; she knew Niki's temper, "Please keep quiet, Niki."

"Like I said, I won't make a scene unless she does." The music got louder and it was time for the ladies to join the men at the altar.

Niki turned to face the door and looked back at her friends, "Remember, ignore her. She's not important. It's Amanda and Raj's day and that's how we're going to act. No bimbo from Mumbai is going to change that. We won't let her. Here comes your father, Amanda. It's show time!"

In order, Georgia, Bernie, and Penny left the room and headed for the altar.

"Do you have the ring?" Amanda asked Niki in a nervous voice.

"Right here, Gorgeous. You two just follow after me. This ceremony is going to be beautiful."

Niki began her walk towards the altar of the chapel, intentionally ignoring Priya, who was seated on her right. _Don't look at her. If you do, you'll most likely ruin the entire wedding. Whatever she did was in the past and this is the present. Focus on Sheldon._ She caught his eye, then smiled and winked at him. Immediately, his frown was replaced with a warm grin that spread from one ear to the other. _How the mere sight of him makes everything that is going wrong, right again. My life really is in a good place right now and I should do my best to keep it there. That means I must leave the past in the past, if that's at all possible._

Sheldon watched Niki approach the altar and thought; _How lovely she looks! She was wearing that same dress the night I asked her to marry me._ The memory of that evening caused him to grin broadly and return Niki's wink. _With just one look, Niki makes my world better, no matter what is going on. I cannot wait until it is our turn to exchange vows._

Raj stood at the altar with a worried look on his face. _Why did my mother have to invite Priya? She knows full well she used to date Leonard. Why stir up trouble and bad feelings? Especially today. I hope Penny behaves herself. The past should stay in the past. I'm sure Priya does not mean to cause any trouble for anyone. Priya, for Krishna's sake, stop looking so damn smug!_

Amanda leaned on her father's arm as she made her way down the aisle. _How handsome Raj looks! Sometimes he actually takes my breath away. I waited a long time to get married, but he was well worth the wait. I wonder why all the girls dislike Priya so much? She seems harmless enough. She's just sitting there like the rest of the guests. Whatever happened in the past should stay there. Penny and Niki should let bygones be bygones and forgive her for whatever it was she did. I sure don't want this wedding to turn into its own little mean girls club._

Penny led the procession to the altar, the entire time saying to herself; _That skank! That dirty, rotten skank! She should have known better than to show up here. I wonder what Niki's beef with her is. It must have been something big; I've never seen her go white like that before. All because of that bitch!_

Leonard watched Penny walk towards them and his heart sank. He knew that look on her face well. Penny was beyond angry, she was livid. He could pretty much figure out why. _Penny must have spied Priya among the guests. I certainly didn't invite her, that's for sure. Priya is the past and Penny is my present and future. I hope she realizes she has nothing to worry about._

Bernie followed Penny, rage filling her small body. _How dare she show up! That just shows how classless she is. I know Raj is her brother, but she's never really stayed in touch with him. If they were close, okay, I'd understand it. But they may talk once every other month or so. She's not here because she cares about her brother, I know that. I wonder what she's up to?_

Howard watched Bernie make her way towards him. All he could think about was; _Damn, she looks hot in that dress! She looks nothing like a room mother or soccer mom. She looks like, well, not a middle aged mother, that's for sure._ He threw his wife a teasing smile and she gave him a look that seemed to say, 'Can it, Howard'. _What have I done now? Sometimes Bernie is hard to understand, but that only makes her more desirable._ He sighed and came to the conclusion that he would never truly understand women, especially his wife.

Priya sat quietly and watch the proceedings. A devious grin appeared on her face from time to time. _Just keep calm and wait for it. It won't be much longer now. I know my brother and his geeky friends had something to do with Leonard and I breaking up. I just had some 'for old time's sake' sex with an ex. So what? Leonard acted like I had gone off and married the guy for goodness sakes! How silly. Sex is just that: sex. Love is something else entirely. I see he married that ignorant slut, Penny. That's a shame. Well, I'm not going to let my brother make the same mistake. It's almost time…_

When the wedding party had all made their way up to the front of the chapel, the minister began to speak:

 _Dearly Beloved, we are gathered together here in the sight of God – and in the face of this company – to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony, which is commended to be honorable among all men; and therefore – is not by any – to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly – but reverently, discreetly, advisedly and solemnly. Into this holy estate these two persons present now come to be joined._

 _Marriage is the union of husband and wife in heart, body and mind. It is intended for their mutual joy – and for the help and comfort given one another in prosperity and adversity. But more importantly – it is a means through which a stable and loving environment may be attained._

A lone voice was heard to say, "I would like to speak as to why I object to the joining of these two people in marriage."

All heads turned to see Priya standing alone, a defiant look on her face.

"What are you talking about, Priya?" Raj asked incredulously.

"Our parents," she nodded to her mother and father," insisted I would be shaming the family if I did not marry a man of good standing from India. Why should those standards not be applied to you as well? I am of the opinion that you are bringing shame upon our family with this marriage, Raj."

"Do you believe that?" Raj asked his parents.

His father spoke to him in a kindly, yet firm tone of voice, "It is true, we did say that to your sister. I suppose that must apply to your marriage as well. I hadn't thought of a son bringing shame to the family, but that may be true. Unless your sister retracts her objection, this wedding will not be with our blessing, Rajesh."

Raj looked at defiantly and said, "If that's how it has to be, fine. I will marry Amanda and let the shame fall where it will."

His mother added, "Rajesh that will also mean we will have no further contact with you. I am sorry son, but unless Priya gives her blessing, we would not feel right about your marriage."

Raj stood transfixed with shock. He knew if he married Amanda he would lose his family and if he called off the wedding he would lose Amanda. He stood there quietly, a thousand voices ringing in his head, each with its own argument.

Everyone turned to look at first Raj, then Amanda, and finally Priya and her parents _. I've got them all now!_ Priya thought to herself _. If I couldn't marry Leonard, Raj will not be allowed to marry this woman._

Tears formed in Amanda's eyes. She couldn't allow Raj to lose his family, but she also didn't want to lose him, herself. No one knew what to do about the situation, and then another voice spoke up. It was Niki's. "According to what Raj has told me, you are an attorney. Is that correct?"

"Yes, I am. I work for a worldwide shipping company."

Niki nodded calmly and then proceeded, "Then you are well acquainted with what a sidebar is, correct?"

Priya nodded her head and smiled, "Of course. But why do I need to know that?"

Niki calmly replied, "Because I am asking you for one, that's why." Sheldon looked at Niki quizzically. What was she up to now? He knew one thing; he was going to let her talk. He knew now how to tell when his lover had something up her sleeve.

Priya puffed up and replied, "If you have something to say to me, say it here, in front of all of these people. Who are you, anyway?"

"That isn't important…yet. I think I should tell you that my words are NOT something you want the general public listening in on."

Priya gave Niki the evil eye and stubbornly told her, "I do not know who you are, but there is nothing you can say that will change my mind."

Niki threw one of her best smirks at her, "Are you sure of that?"

Priya had the feeling she was being baited, but she stood firm, "I am very sure."

Niki nodded her head slightly, "Very well. Is the name Paul Rosselli familiar to you?"

Priya hesitated and then answered, "He was an attorney I worked with in the past. Why is that important?"

Niki dropped her bomb, "Because my name is Niki Horner, but my married name was Rosselli. I was Paul Rosselli's wife. Now do you see where I'm going with this?"

Priya's mouth opened wide but no sound came forth. When she found her tongue she managed to say, "Maybe we could talk briefly alone."

Niki grinned and addressed first Priya and then the group in the chapel, "I thought you'd say that. Everyone, this won't take long. We'll be back shortly."

When Niki had guided Priya to the back room where the bridesmaids and bride had readied themselves, she offered Priya a seat and began to talk.

"The newspaper article on the investigation into Paul's death called you Priya Mehta. Mehta must be your married name. Am I correct?"

Priya stared at Niki, eyes wide with fright, "Yes, but my husband must never know about this."

Niki looked at her not unkindly, "That depends entirely on you, my dear. So, Priya Mehta. Do you know I've been looking for you for years?'

"Why is that?"

Niki's eyes suddenly narrowed and she stopped playing nice, "I have just one question to ask you. When Paul was having his heart attack, why did you leave him to die? Why didn't you call for help?"

Priya challenged her, "That's two questions."

Niki had had enough and she raised her voice and gave a command, "Quiet! I'll ask as many damn questions as I want. Now, answer those two if you don't mind."

Priya hung her head and answered her, "If I had been found there, it would have destroyed my marriage."

Niki nodded and then attacked, "Ah, I see. So you fucked Paul for a sizeable amount of money and then left him there to die. Real class, lady. And you _were_ caught, weren't you? You left your wallet in the hotel room in your rush to leave. Poor Priya. So scared that people would find out just what kind of low life cunt you really are. Well, sweetie, your secret's safe with me. As long as you give your okay to this wedding."

Priya was not about to give in, "Never. Raj has no right to marry for love when I was not allowed that."

Niki stayed on the attack, "Bullshit. You were a grown woman with a career. You damn well had a choice, and being in love wasn't the one you chose, was it?"

Priya confessed, "I needed money to get out of my marriage. My husband controls all that I make."

"So side money would have bought you your freedom. I see. Did you ever stop to think of the people your actions hurt along the way? Like me?"

Priya was not about to play nice, she shot Niki with, "Paul cheated on you with more women than me. Did you know that?"

She stood over Priya where she was sitting and spat out, "I know that. But you're the one who left him to die."

"I refuse to okay the marriage."

Niki shrugged nonchalantly, "Fine with me. I guess I'll take your parents back here next and fill them in on some of the little escapades their daughter has been on."

"You wouldn't!"

Niki gave a sarcastic laugh, "You don't know me very well or you wouldn't have made such an ignorant statement. Of course I would. With great pleasure."

Priya challenged her, "They will never believe you."

Niki backed away from her with a smirk on her lips, "They will when I show them the newspaper clipping I had laminated and have kept with me all these years. Your driver's license photo from back then was a very good likeness of you. They will know it was you, all right."

"You kept my picture?"

Niki broke out into a triumphant grin, "Yep. That's all they had to go on to find you, so it was placed in several newspapers. They did find you, eventually. I love how you bought your way out of that one. Very slick. Unfortunately, I don't need money that badly so you can't buy your way out of this one. I'm sure Daddy will be very proud of his little girl."

Priya stood up from the chair, "Damn you! Okay, I'll give the marriage my blessing. But you have to promise to tell no one."

Niki shook her head and pretended to look sad, "Can't do that. I do promise not to tell your parents, but that's as far as I'll go."

"What about my brother?"

"Raj? I won't tell him unless I have to. I'll tell Amanda and she can decide. Girl, you can't go whoring around, leave people to die, and then beg for mercy. I'm flat out of that. I do, however, want to see Raj marry that lovely lady out there, who is pure class. For that, your parents will never hear a word of this. So, you're still going to give the blessing to their marriage?"

Priya admitted defeat, "Yes, I suppose so. You drive a hard bargain."

Niki looked up to the ceiling, "I was married to an amazing negotiator. He taught me well."

As they began to walk towards the door, Priya asked her, "Tell me something. Are you really engaged to Sheldon Cooper?"

"Why do you need to know? You planning on sabotaging my wedding, too?

"Not at all. I'm just curious. He's a very different, difficult, person to deal with."

Niki stared her down, "Says the married whore. Look, I love him. He's great. We're happy. That's all you need to know. Now, let's go back out there and have us a wedding."

Raj's sister suddenly looked worried, "How are you going to explain us being gone to my parents?"

Niki waved her off, "Oh that. I'll just tell them that I used the friendship that existed between you and my late husband to convince you to change your mind."

Priya warily agreed, "Okay, but not a word about the other thing."

Niki shook her head sadly, "Not a word. Imagine, Paul's death being reduced to 'the other thing'. Life is strange."

They walked back out to the chapel and Priya announced that she had reconsidered the matter and that the wedding could proceed. Her parents looked over at Niki with a confused look on both of their faces, but all she gave them was a smile. The minister took up where he had left off.

"I do."

 _Do you Amanda Lyn Sawyer take Rajesh Koothrappali to be your husband – to live together after God's ordinance – in the holy estate of matrimony? Will you love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health, for richer, for poorer, for better, for worse, in sadness and in joy, to cherish and continually bestow upon him your heart's deepest devotion, forsaking all others, keep yourself only unto him as long as you both shall live_ _?_

"I do."

 _Do we have the rings?_

"We do." Howard and Niki handed them the rings.

 _Rajesh, repeat after me_ , "With this ring, I wed thee."

'With this ring, I wed thee."

 _Amanda, repeat after me_ , "With this ring, I wed thee."

"With this ring, I wed thee."

 _By the power invested in me by the state of Nevada, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may now kiss your bride._

Raj took Amanda in his arms and kissed her tenderly. "You know," he whispered to his bride, "Niki must have great powers of persuasion."

Amanda kissed him back and said, "Let's just be glad she's on our side, okay?"

"Okay." He responded and pulled her in closer for a second kiss.

Sheldon looked over at Niki and raised an eyebrow as if to say, "What happened back there?" Niki just answered back with a smile, a wink, and a nod to Heaven.

Later, at the reception, Sheldon pulled Niki aside and asked her, "You must tell me, where did you know Priya from and how did you get her to agree to the marriage?"

Niki wrapped her arms loving around his neck and answered him, "Sheldon, remember when I told you about Paul's death, how his last evening had been spent with one of his mistresses?"

"Of course I do. Wait, Priya was that woman?" His eyes went wide.

Niki nodded, "Yes. But I didn't tell you everything. When he had his heart attack she ran off and left him there. If she had called for help he might have lived."

Sheldon had to ask, "How did the investigators know it was her?

Niki explained that to him with a sad smile on her face, "She left some personal belongings behind, including a photo id."

"So what on earth did you say to her?"

Niki's facial expression turned into a snarky grin, "I told her to give the marriage her blessing or her parents and brother were going to hear something about her they wouldn't like at all."

"And she went along with that? How unusual."

Niki's arms dropped from around his neck and she made her way to the door, "Sheldon, she really had no choice. Her entire life is built on lies. But don't tell anyone this. I don't want her parents getting wind of it and I certainly don't want to hurt Raj."

He thought for a moment and asked her, "How are you going to explain this to everyone else?"

"That part is simple. I'll just say I called on a favor she owed me and Paul, which isn't far from the truth when you think about it."

Sheldon had one last question for her, "So, what do we do now?"

Niki's face lit up with a happy smile, "I do believe I hear music playing and I promised the girls that you and I would dance at the reception. Shall we?"

He took her hand and together they returned to the reception and had a wonderful time dancing with each other and some of their friends. As for Priya? Niki never heard from her again, which made her very happy. A sad act had been turned around and used for something good. Niki was satisfied with that and felt a certain peace every time she saw Raj and Amanda working to build their lives together.

 **Sheldon's birthday celebrations are over, Raj is safely married, so what's next? Road trip!**


	56. Chapter 56

Chapter 56: On the Road

 **Our trio of scientists takes their act on the road. Will this be a realized dream, or a waking nightmare?**

It was Sunday afternoon at LAX. Niki walked quickly down the concourse, her wheeled luggage trailing behind her. She was both excited and nervous. Their first stop on this tour was going to be Boston. There would be no silly morning show in this college-centered state. They were just booked to speak at three campuses, Harvard, MIT, and Smith. She couldn't wait to speak at Smith. She wanted nothing more than to encourage young women to study the sciences. Maybe if more of them did, people would stop treating women like her, Amanda, and Bernadette as anomalies but just as normal women doing what they loved. Anyway, they only had ten minutes to make their flight. She was a little put out by Raj. He and Amanda had taken so long saying goodbye it had put them behind schedule. They were only going to be gone a little over a week but those two had acted like they would be apart for years. Sheldon had practically had a meltdown waiting for them to stop with the kisses and their repeated, 'I'll miss you mores'. It was only when Sheldon had cleared his throat loudly and tapped his friend on the shoulder that the goodbyes ended and their checking in for their flight had begun.

Sheldon and Raj walked ahead of her, conversing in quiet voices. "Did you bring it?" Sheldon asked Raj.

"Yeah, dude, I did. Did you bring yours?"

Sheldon rolled his eyes and answered, "Raj, do I look like a fool? Of course I did."

"Good. Once we've settled in, we can get a nice game of Halo going on our computers."

Sheldon couldn't hide his excitement, "This trip is going to be amazing! We'll spend all day talking science and then at the hotel and on the plane we'll have Halo Night every day!"

"This will be so cool, dude. But do you think Niki will mind?"

Sheldon explained his view of the trip to his friend, "This is her first speaking tour. She'll be so tired within a day or two she'll be sleeping any time we're not giving a lecture or on some idiot TV show. I'm looking forward to a week full of science and Halo. It doesn't get any better than that." Seeing Raj's face drop a bit, he remembered that Raj was newly married and added, "Unless we had Amanda with us as well."

Finally the trio reached the gate, showed their boarding passes, and entered the plane. They quickly found their seats and stowed their luggage overhead, though Niki had problems with hers continually falling out on top of her. Sheldon, being the taller of the two, helped her with this and got her luggage safely stored for her.

As the plane taxied down the runway, Niki's nose was pressed against the window. She loved the takeoff and landing, those were the best parts of flying as far as she was concerned. It never got old for her. She was a true veteran of flying as most of her family lived in Oklahoma and Wisconsin and she saw them all at least once per year. So nothing about flying fazed her very much. The same could not be said for Sheldon. He gripped her hand tightly and closed his eyes as the plane picked up speed. Niki smiled to herself and thought, _So, Dr. Sheldon Cooper, Ph.D., Sc.D., is afraid of flying. That's rich! Now, how do I help him get over his fear? Or is that even possible? Well, I have to try or this is going to be a very long ten days._

Niki pulled her eyes away from the window and attempted to relax her mate, "Sheldon, isn't this exciting? I've never seen Boston before. Have you ever been there?"

His answer was terse, "Yes."

"Well, what's it like?"

Once again, his answer was short, "Cold and big."

"Could you possibly give me a bit more information?" She asked him as the plane left the runway and his grip on her hand tightened.

His fear was almost palpable as he responded, "Not now, Niki, please."

She gave up and looked out the window in wonder. L.A. looked so sprawling from this height. That part of flying never ceased to amaze her. She spent the next couple of minutes trying to pick out familiar landmarks. This game never grew old for her, but it was one she was fairly certain Sheldon had never played. His grip on her hand gradually lessened and when the sign came on to unfastens their seat belts he let go of it completely.

"Are you okay now, Sheldon?" she asked him with sincere caring in her voice.

Sheldon opened his briefcase and pulled out their itinerary, "Yes, I'm perfectly fine. The first few minutes of a plane trip are a bit worrisome to me. That is all."

"A bit worrisome? Sheldon, l think you left bruises on my hand."

He turned to her and said, with a little annoyance in his voice, "Wollowitz didn't complain when we flew together."

Niki grinned and told him, "Yeah? Well he was more than likely as scared as you were. Howard isn't the bravest person I know. A good guy, you bet. But brave? Nope."

Sheldon sighed and told her, "Forget it, Niki. It's over. We're now comfortably in flight and I am fine."

"Okay, but if we hit turbulence, you're sitting next to Raj." She followed this with a kiss to his cheek that told him she was merely joking…maybe.

The rest of the flight was uneventful. Niki read while Sheldon and Raj played Halo. And so the hours passed peacefully. A little over five hours later, they landed safely in Boston, Sheldon once again squeezing her hand during the descent.

They arrived at their hotel, somewhat resembling a Motel 6, at about one o'clock in the morning. Niki unpacked quickly and headed for the shower. Sheldon headed to Raj's room to continue their Halo game. Niki was perplexed by that. Hadn't the two guys just spent at least five hours, more or less, playing Halo? Niki didn't ponder this long, however. She was tired from the flight and took a nice, hot, shower and crawled into bed, where she soon fell fast asleep.

The next morning she woke up to an empty space next to her. She simply assumed Sheldon was in the shower. But she heard no noises of any kind in the bathroom. She looked closer at the bed and realized that she had slept alone the entire night. This had not happened to her since Sheldon had moved in with her many months earlier. Puzzled, she decided to get dressed and study their schedule for the coming day. No morning show in Boston, thank god, but three colleges to visit; Harvard, MIT, and Smith. They were due at Harvard at ten o'clock in the morning; a car would be coming for them at nine thirty. She checked her phone, it was eight o'clock. She wondered if she should go downstairs for breakfast on her own or wait for Sheldon and Raj. That decision was made for her ten minutes later when both of the men entered the room and greeted her.

"Good morning, Niki. I hope you slept well. I'm sorry I wasn't here, but Raj and I got involved in a great game of Halo and before we knew it, it was morning. "

Raj smiled and nodded, "Yeah, gaming can be like that sometimes."

Niki said nothing and finished her preparations for going downstairs for breakfast. She didn't feel like starting an argument with Sheldon and Raj on the first day of their trip, so she decided to let herself cool off and see what the rest of the day brought.

It brought little good. At Harvard she was completely ignored by both the students and the faculty as all the questions were asked of, and fielded by, Sheldon and Raj. They had a break for lunch and she was pretty much ignored there, also. Sheldon and Raj recapped the previous night and made plans to play more computer games together after their last speaking engagement of the day. Again, Niki let this go. She realized this was neither the time nor the place to stage World War III, though she felt very close to doing that after their lecture at MIT. At this school, she wasn't even announced and once again felt invisible. _Oh well_ , she told herself, _Smith is a women's college and I will certainly do better there._ She did, but barely. At Smith there were a couple of girls who did ask her questions and engage her in insightful conversation. But most of the attention was given to handsome Raj. Sheldon was given enough attention to keep him mollified, but you could tell he disliked not being the center of attention. This trip was not starting off well at all. In their little free time, Raj talked constantly about missing Amanda or playing computer games with Sheldon. For his part, Sheldon came as close to ignoring her as he ever had. His attention was totally focused on either his part of the speaking tour, or Halo or World of Warcraft. Niki felt very much like a third wheel and it hurt her greatly. But she hoped that night, when they were alone; she could talk to Sheldon about how she was feeling. Only that never happened. Once again, right after dinner, Sheldon disappeared with Raj and didn't return until the early morning, when they all had to rush to catch their flight to Hartford, Connecticut, to be interviewed for the local morning show there.

The morning show was much like Sheldon had described it. They did her clothing, her makeup, and even chose the jewelry she was to wear. When they were finally called from the Green Room, Niki was already over the entire trip. All she wanted was to go home. But instead, she had to go out on a television set, smile nicely, and answer all the crappy questions they put to her.

The handsome, vapid, male host started things off by asking Niki, "So, you work with these two gentlemen at your research facility?"

Niki smiled and nodded, "Yes, I'm a part owner of the business."

He gave a snarky smile and asked Sheldon and Raj, "Guys, does she make coffee for you in the morning?"

Raj piped up, "The best!"

Niki cleared her throat and reminded them, "I do more than make coffee, guys."

The empty headed blonde female host chimed in, "I hear you have an interesting hobby."

That one caught Niki by surprise and she asked, "I do?"

The blonde continued, "Yes, I heard you're a very good dancer."

"I suppose so. Most of us there can dance some."

"We all dance, except Leonard. He has no rhythm at all."

Niki snapped at her friend, "Raj, that was mean!"

He defended himself, "Well he can't dance. Isn't that right, Sheldon?"

Sheldon agreed with him, "Oh yes. The man is hopeless."

The blonde wasn't done, "Okay, of your research group, who's the best dancer?"

Niki couldn't take it anymore and asked her, "What does that have to do with our paper?'

Sheldon gave her a mild reprimand, "Niki, they're just trying to get to know us. I think Niki is the best dancer. What do you think, Raj?"

"It's either Niki or Sheldon. They're both pretty good."

Sheldon told Raj, "You're not bad yourself. I've seen you dance."

Niki was confused. What did dancing have to do with their research? And who cared who the best dancer was. What mattered was what they had each contributed to their paper.

The Ken Doll male host asked them, "Would you care to show us?"

"No. Not really." Niki's face was wooden.

The female host looked lost and asked her, "Why not?"

Niki carefully explained to her as if to a child, "Because we were invited on here because we wrote a fairly significant scientific paper that opens new horizons for future space exploration. I hardly think that has anything to do with a tango."

Sheldon had an edge to his voice as he prodded her, "Niki, let's just give them a short dance."

Niki shook her head stubbornly, "No. I don't care to at all."

Silence filled the set. The blonde host had no idea what to do if Niki refused to perform.

Sheldon narrowed his eyes, "Niki, I think we should dance for the woman."

Niki stared at him ominously, "No. You and Raj dance if you want to. I'm sitting this one out."

Again, a painful silence engulfed the studio and they cut to a commercial.

Sheldon pulled Niki aside, "You're being rude. They didn't ask you to undress, they asked us to dance. Goodness knows we've done that plenty of times."

"Dancing on television has nothing to do with our work, Sheldon."

His voice started to have an edge to it, "No, it doesn't. But it does help make us interesting."

Niki was having trouble comprehending what he was saying, "What, opening up space to future time travel makes us boring?"

Sheldon attempted to stare her down, "To most people, yes. Now we are going to go out there and dance. Do you hear me?"

Niki's eyes turned molten silver and she came very close to slapping him, but refrained. She had seldom been this angry in her life, but she managed to reply in an almost civil tone, "I hear you loud and clear, Sheldon. But I am not dancing. That's my final word on the subject. If you want to dance, dance with Raj. You seem to enjoy his company. Go play your stupid Halo with Raj. If you're really lucky, I'll be in our room when you get back.

Sheldon backed off and warned her," Whatever do you mean by that? I hate implied threats, and for your information, Halo is not stupid."

Niki spat back at him, "You want to talk about hating something? Let me tell you something, I hate being trotted out like I'm in some dog and pony show. On this morning show and at the schools, you and Raj get asked all the science questions while I get asked what my favorite dance is or what is my favorite color. I feel like one of the Kardashians."

Sheldon had a quick retort ready, "You couldn't be a Kardashian, that would require you to possess a much larger set of buttocks."

Her eyes narrowed and she went for the jugular, "Well, these buttocks may be the last thing you see of me on this tour. I'm the one who made the breakthrough on this research and you guys are the ones who are getting to talk about it."

He warned her, "Don't start that here, Niki."

Niki agreed with him, "You're right. This isn't the time or the place for that. I'm leaving for the hotel. You do what you want." With that, Niki returned to the prep room, removed the clothes and jewelry given her, put on her own, and went outside the building to hail a cab. Sheldon was left standing open-mouthed in the wings of the set.

In the background he could hear the hosts saying, "Our three scientists had to catch a bus to Yale, so let me introduce my next guest. You all know him as that loveable father on…." Sheldon grabbed Raj and they took off in a mad dash to find Niki. They had a lecture to give at Yale that afternoon. How dare she run off like that!

Niki entered the lobby of the hotel, relieved to be temporarily away from Sheldon, Raj, the morning show personnel, and the tour itself. She was heading for the nearest elevator when she heard someone call her name, "Dr. Horner? Could I have a few moments of your time?"

She turned and saw a handsome middle aged man in a grey suit approaching her. "Yes? Do I know you, sir?" she answered him in a polite, but disinterested tone. "I haven't much time, but if you would care to sit out here in the lobby, we could talk."

Niki sat down in one of the lobby's overstuffed chairs, the stranger sat across from her. "Dr. Horner, my name is Dr. Dimitri Andreadis and I am the head of the physics department at Yale."

Niki stood up, reached over, and shook the man's hand, "I am very pleased to meet you Dr. Andreadis. How can I help you?"

"I've had my eye on you for some time now. I caught you at Smith last night. You gave some very insightful answers to the questions presented to you."

Niki sat back down and replied, "Of which there were few."

He nodded and gave her a slight smile, "Sadly, that happens to female scientists when they present with male associates. I also caught you on television this morning. You are a person who knows what she will and will not do. Very decisive and focused. I like that."

She rose and prepared herself to leave, "Okay, Dr. Andreadis, what is this about? If you are trying to proposition me, the answer is no."

He grinned at her and chuckled softly, then motioned her to sit back down, "This won't be that kind of proposition, I promise you. I'm quite happily married and have every intention of staying that way. No, what I want to propose to you has to do with your career."

"You have my attention."

Dr. Andreadis leaned forward with an eager expression on his face, "I'm willing to offer you a generously funded research position at Yale with an adjunct professorship thrown in. I can almost guarantee you tenure within two years."

Niki slowly nodded and answered him with, "That sounds interesting, but I have a position already."

"With an organization that clearly doesn't appreciate you. I saw the actions of your associates last night and this morning. You were more or less invisible to them until you refused to dance."

"For what it's worth, that behavior is highly unusual for both of them. I am usually treated as an equal. But the position you offered does sound like one I would enjoy, especially the professorship. I do miss teaching."

"Yes, you taught at Keck, didn't you?"

"How did you know that?" Niki asked him in a surprised voice.

He grinned and informed her, "I've done my homework on you, plus we both went to Stanford. Dr. Mueller always speaks highly of you."

"You know Dr. Mueller?" Niki was pleased to hear the name of her old mentor.

"He was my mentor and advisor, also. Just a few years before you, is all. So, will you consider my offer?"

Niki thought for a moment about all she would be leaving at home; Penny, and the rest of her friends, Pentagram, Sheldon, her home there with him, and her upcoming marriage. She also thought about all she would be gaining; a position at a prestigious university, the opportunity to teach once more, and a refreshing change of scenery. "I'll give your offer some serious thought, Dr. Andreadis. When do you need your answer by at the latest?"

He smiled warmly at her and said, "Take your time. The position won't be open until this summer. Just let me know by the end of April if that's possible. You are our premier candidate."

Niki was flattered; it was nice to be considered important for her mind alone. "I can do that, Dr. Andreadis."

The two then began to reminisce about their days at Stanford. He had Niki in stitches several times recounting his adventures on campus and off. Just then, Sheldon and Raj came into the lobby and saw Niki laughing and talking excitedly with a very handsome man. Sheldon frowned and started to move toward her but Raj cautioned him, "Dude, she's mad at you right now and that's not the time to play jealous boyfriend, trust me. Let's just go get some lunch and get ready for Yale.

Sheldon answered him, "I'm not just her boyfriend, I'm engaged to the woman! But perhaps you're right, Raj. Timing is everything. I do believe Niki and I need to talk later tonight. I may be a bit late for Halo tonight."

Raj shook his head; he thought his friend needed to change his plans, "Dude, why don't you spend the night with Niki? You've been in my room playing computer games every night so far on this trip."

"What, I can't have friends? Most likely Niki will just sleep. What fun is that? I'll talk to her and then I'll call you."

"Be careful, Sheldon. You know what she's like when she's angry."

Flashbacks of Niki's past outbursts ran through Sheldon's head, "You make a valid point, Koothrappali. Perhaps I shall just play Halo tonight and wait for her come to her senses."

Raj looked across the room, "You really want to leave her alone tonight after seeing her with him?"

"I trust Niki completely. And besides, what does he have that I haven't?"

"He's making her laugh, Dude. That's what he has. Plus, he's pretty good looking as well."

Sheldon refused to listen to his friend, "Like I said, I trust Niki. Plus, I don't want to play whatever game she's playing. We shall play Halo or WoW tonight, as usual."

Raj gave his friend some needed advice, "I don't know that I'd do that, Sheldon."

Sheldon started walking toward the elevator, pretending to ignore Niki and the man seated across from her, "Enough. I know what I'm doing. Now, let's get lunch and prepare to go to Yale."

That afternoon at Yale was very different to the nights at Harvard, MIT, and Smith. At Yale, it was Niki who fielded most of the questions and answered them thoroughly. Here, she was in her element. Raj was happy to take a backseat for once, but Sheldon was livid at the perceived slight. Off to the side of the stage he saw the man that Niki had been talking to earlier in the day and his blood pressure rose considerably. After the presentation, they all had the proverbial cocktail hour with the faculty and alumni. Dr. Andreadis stayed close to Niki's side and introduced her to many of the people in the administration and a few of the professors from the physics department. Sheldon noted that she was absolutely glowing and her laughter came freely and often. She charmed all she met while Sheldon's dour demeanor led most to excuse themselves from his company rather quickly.

When they returned to their hotel, several hours later, Sheldon went with Raj to his room and Niki went to theirs. She hastily packed her bags once more as they had a flight to catch to Newark within the hour. She was still ecstatic from her evening and was giving a lot of thought to Dr. Andreadis' offer. She left the room and headed down to the lobby, where she met Raj and a sullen Sheldon. "Hi, guys. How are you? Long time, no see."

Raj smiled back at her and waved, Sheldon ignored her completely. The flight to Newark was more of the same. Raj was friendly, Niki was tired, and Sheldon was detached. This did bother Niki to some extent, but it was tempered by the realization that her unhappiness had bothered Sheldon not a bit. So, she played the same game of impervious and asked for a pillow from the flight attendant and tried to get what little sleep she could. She knew another morning show was their first destination and that Sheldon was not happy with her. That could spell trouble for her for sure, but she chose to overlook that and finally fell asleep.

They landed safely in Newark and were immediately whisked off to their hotel. This one, like the others on the trip, was standard fare, nothing fancy. Niki didn't seem to care as she unpacked her bags, jumped in the shower, and readied herself for bed. She did not expect Sheldon to join her in the room and he did not. Niki assumed he was with Raj and quickly fell into a deep sleep that was only interrupted by the sound of her alarm clock going off.

Yet again, Niki was dressed, perfumed, and made up by the staff of the local morning show. This didn't bother her anymore for the mere fact it made life easier for her. Not having to pick clothes, make up, and jewelry first thing in the morning gave her an extra hour of sleep, which she was beginning to crave. Sheldon had been right about one thing, this trip was exhausting.

They all waited in the Green Room to go on, none of them speaking to any of the others. When they were told to it was their turn on stage, Raj happily walked down the hall, Niki sleepily stumbled out the door, and Sheldon marched out indignantly. The chirpy hosts again asked them inane questions and once more, Raj and Sheldon answered them. Niki had drawn a line in the sand that if they wanted her to answer the fluff questions, they needed to ask her intelligent ones as well. The only difference between this show and the one is Hartford is that in Newark, they didn't ask her to dance.

Lunch, the bus ride to Princeton and the talk at the school, all had the same flavor. Sheldon gladly answered questions about their research, Raj smiled a lot and was happy to answer anything lighthearted or personal, and Niki, for the most part, kept quiet as no one noticed her very much. It was at the social hour that followed their talk that Sheldon made his fatal mistake. They were all introduced to the President of the University, the head of the science department, the faculty, alumni, and carefully chosen students. Raj remained his usual sunny self, Sheldon was stiff and uncomfortable, as was his default in crowded social situations, and Niki was, for the most part, grim and silent.

One of the professors from the physics department came over to Sheldon and asked him, "Dr. Cooper, whatever is the matter with your associate over there," pointing to Niki, "she's barely said a word all evening."

Sheldon replied within earshot of his fiancée, "You must excuse her behavior; I don't know what has gotten into her. I do believe she may be on her menstrual cycle."

With that, Niki wheeled around to give Sheldon the Death Stare, turned, and left the building. Leaving most at the gathering confused, and Sheldon annoyed.

She ran out of the building and entered the bus that had brought them there. "We're not leaving for a couple of hours, ma'am," the driver informed her, "but I can call you a cab."

"Thank you." Niki replied, too tired to really care. She could have just as easily slept on the bus, but a cab back to their hotel sounded much better.

Once back in her room in the hotel, Niki threw herself on the bed and began to cry her heart out. The trip she had been somewhat looking forward to was becoming an unmitigated disaster. The man she loved was showing a very unattractive side of himself, and she was dead tired most of the time. She was tired of the speaking tour, tired of the stupid morning shows, tired of being ignored, and, most of all, she was tired of Sheldon Cooper. After more than an hour of crying, Niki suddenly sat up straight in the bed. What good was crying going to do? She prided herself on being a strong woman and crying merely lent itself to the theory that women were 'too weak' to make in the male dominated world of academia. She knew what she really wanted and she got up from the bed and pulled her laptop out of its case. She quickly composed an email to Binary which stated, _I am leaving this speaking tour after we finish in NYC. I am neither wanted nor needed here, and I would just as soon go home. My apologies to you for this decision, but I do believe it is the best scenario for all concerned. N. Horner._

After hitting Send, she sat and thought about her situation and once again, tears began to fall. Everything she thought she had accomplished was disappearing right before her eyes. Their paper, which she had been a large part of, was for the most part being credited to Sheldon and Raj only. Her view of gender equality in academia, in which she had wholly believed in the past, was completely changed. Her very own fiancée was selling her down the river to get attention and acclaim. How did her dream life of a week ago turn into this nightmare? The only good thing to come from this trip was the offer from Yale, which would take her thousands of miles away from her home and friends. She began to sob in spite of herself. She had never been one for these kinds of tears, but for some reason they brought her a sense of release that night.

Sheldon and Raj finally excused themselves and headed out to the bus. Sheldon was quite surprised to discover that Niki had taken a taxi back to the hotel. His jealousies of the day before reared their ugly heads again and when the bus arrived back at the hotel, he headed directly up to Niki's room, half expecting to find her entertaining Dr. Andreadis. He stomped down the hall, anger filling every step he took, until he stopped to collect himself outside the door. He quietly listened for any sounds from within that would signal an infidelity on Niki's part. What he heard instead floored him. Niki was crying. No, not crying, she was sobbing loudly. _Niki does not cry like that. The only time I can recall her doing that was when she had that nightmare that she kept calling me and could not find me. Oh Dear Lord! I promised her that night that I would always answer when she called to me. She has been calling to me for support for the last three days and I have been failing to answer her, in a very rude and unloving manner at that. What is wrong with me? I love Niki more than anything on earth, but here I am, hurting her to the point she is sobbing like a broken hearted child. How could I have been so thoughtless, so cruel, and have doubted her so wrongly? How can I fix this?_

Suddenly his phone announced he had a text. He looked down at the screen and read the message there: _Sheldon, why did Niki send me an email saying she is leaving this tour after NYC? Do you know what is going on? Let me know._ It was from Marcus, their attorney _. Why would Niki be leaving? I know. It's because of me. I've never once defended her or included her in any of the discussions at either the schools or on the morning shows. In fact, I've done nothing but offend her and make her feel small this entire trip. I have taken much of the credit for our research which rightfully belongs to her. Even worse, Raj and gaming replaced any together time we could have been having. What a fool I have been! How she must hate me! I have to fix this. If only to stop her crying. I cannot stand to hear this any longer._

Sheldon opened the door to the room and found Niki on the bed, face down, crying into her pillow. He quickly closed the door, removed his jacket, and lay down next to her. Taking her in his arms he whispered into her ear, "Niki, my love, I am so, so, sorry for the jackass I have been to you the last three days. I know this fixes nothing, but I am sincerely apologizing to you for my atrocious behavior. I one time promised you I would always answer when you called and I have not kept that promise. Nothing is worth more to me than you. Not Raj, not games, not success. There is no real success for me as a man or a scientist if I fail to love and support the most important person in my life. I know you must hate me, but do know that I am truly sorry for my actions."

Niki turned over and looked at him with swollen eyes, "Sheldon?"

"Yes, Niki. It's me. I don't know what to say or do. I am so ashamed of the way I have been acting. If you want to go home, I will not stop you. If you never want to speak with me again, I will understand. But I do want you to know I am truly sorry for how I have been treating you. You did nothing to deserve this. Your tears are entirely my fault."

Once again she blinked and looked at him, "Sheldon, is that you?"

He closed his eyes, feeling too guilty to look into hers, "Yes, it's me."

"You're sorry?"

He softly sighed and pulled her close, "You have no idea how much."

Niki sat up in the bed, "You truly mean that, don't you?"

He stayed prone, not opening his eyes. "Yes. I am the one in the wrong, Niki. I have been a complete asshole to you. How can I fix this?"

Niki looked down at him with love in her eyes, "Sheldon?"

"Yes?"

"Open your eyes and look at me. You just did fix it. Stay with me tonight, can you?"

His eyes opened and he pulled her back down next to him, "I will never spend another minute from your side the rest of this trip unless it is absolutely necessary. Niki, I will attempt to make up for every stupid, hurtful, thing I have done to you."

Niki snuggled contentedly into his arms, "Just stay here and hold me. I know you always speak the truth, so I do not doubt your sincerity. I just have one question for you. Why?"

He shamefully admitted to her, "My over inflated ego. That's what caused all of this. We have the day off tomorrow before we head off to New York. Stay with me tonight and tomorrow and then if you still want to go home, I will put you on the first plane out."

She spoke softly into his neck, "You are done with gaming with Raj all night?"

He promised her, "I am done gaming with Raj for the rest of this trip."

"There's no need for that. I know it helps you relax on the plane. Just not at night anymore, please."

He kissed the top of her head softly, "I promise you that. I think I have far better things to do than play computer games with Raj."

She looked up at him and smiled faintly, "Just hold me, Sheldon."

His arms pulled her even closer as he told her, "I love you, Nikita Elyse Horner."

"I love you, Sheldon Lee Cooper."

He spoke into her tousled hair, "I thought you might be leaving me for that handsome Dr. What's His Name from Yale."

Niki sat up and looked at him in surprise, "You're kidding me, right? Cooper, he was offering me a job, not a relationship."

"But you were both laughing in the lobby. I thought…"

"You thought wrong. He's a happily married man. We both graduated from Stanford, we were sharing funny stories about our school days."

Sheldon smacked himself on the forehead, "I'm such an idiot. How can you forgive me?"

She laid back down next to him, "Let's get some sleep and talk more in the morning, okay? And Sheldon?"

"What, Niki?"

"I have forgiven you. One look at your face was all I needed."

He kissed her cheek and vowed, "I promise you that my ego will never come between us again."

Niki thought for a moment and then confessed to him, "Cooper, I feel kind of bad that I'm not as patient or kind as Amy would have been. That must frustrate you sometimes."

He shook his head at her suggestion, "Not at all. Amy's patience was what I needed at that time. Now, I sometimes need a kick in the behind. And you have a very strong kick, little lady."

"You could have put that differently, Cooper."

"But it's the truth. I want to grow and mature. I don't need that much patience any longer; I need strong persuasion, instead."

Niki grinned seductively, "Well, could I persuade you to take a shower with me?"

Sheldon voiced his concern, "But that could lead to things we may not be ready for just yet."

"Sheldon, I'm more than ready. Besides, I've always heard make-up sex was the best and now is as good a time as any to find out if that is true."

Sheldon got up from the bed and said, "As you wish, my brilliant, beautiful, beloved lady. I'll get the water going for us."

Niki added, "And I'll put on some mood music."

"Dr. Horner, are you trying to seduce me?"

"Hey, you catch on fast. I like that in a man."

Sheldon bent down, took her in his arms, and covered her face in kisses. "Let me get that shower ready and we can begin to explore your theory on make-up sex."

At this point, I think it is best we leave these two alone. Sheldon has a lot of making up to do, so let's leave him to it. By the way, the rest of the tour went smoothly. In NYC, Washington D.C., Pittsburgh, and Columbus, Ohio, Sheldon let no one ignore Niki or put her down. He redirected all fluff questions back to their research and all three of them took turns answering. Sheldon's plane rides were spent playing Halo with Raj and holding Niki's hand during takeoffs and landings. His nights were spent with his lady, who, by the way, stayed for the entire tour and politely turned down the offer from Yale. On this trip they also became members of the Mile High Club somewhere between Pittsburgh and Columbus. Yes, make-up sex can work wonders.

 **Well, things seem fine now that our couple has kissed and made up. The next thing on their agenda? Getting married!**


	57. Chapter 57

Chapter 57: Wedding Preparations

 **Everyone's making plans for the wedding and the reception. Let's listen in, shall we?**

By the end of March, our trio of physicists had made one more road trip. This time to the Midwest where they visited, Chicago, Milwaukee, Indianapolis, and Detroit. There were still the prerequisite morning shows and university lectures on their agenda, but by now, the media focused on their work and with Sheldon's help, all three of them were involved in their presentations. April started with wedding planning for both Sheldon and Niki. It began with finalizing their wedding itinerary with their wedding planner and then meeting with their friends to go over all the details involved.

Niki and her friends met first, at their favorite sushi restaurant, O2. Penny started the conversation by asking Niki, "Girlfriend, are you ready to marry Sheldon?"

"More than ready. I can't wait. Things were a little rough on the road for us at first, but now? We're better than ever."

Bernie added, "Yeah, you never know how strong your bond is until it hits the fan. Ours was when Howie had to go into space and we had to rush our wedding. That was different."

Georgia asked Bernie, "Did you guys ever get a real honeymoon?"

"We eventually managed to take one. But by that time, we were pretty solidly married, not newlyweds."

Amanda was curious about post-wedding plans, so she asked Niki, "Where are you and Sheldon going for your honeymoon?"

"Hawaii."

Bernie sighed, "That's so romantic."

Niki gave a little chuckle, "For us it will be, but maybe not for anyone else. We'll be spending it at the Mauna Kea Observatory."

Amanda looked at her with envy, "Yeah, I remember that now. Raj and I are so jealous. We spent ours in Vegas."

Penny volunteered, "You could go to MK for your anniversary."

"Raj beat you to that idea. He's already bought the tickets and reserved the hotel."

"Leonard and I really didn't have a honeymoon. Oh, we were in Vegas, but we didn't go anywhere special."

Niki looked at her friend and told her, "So go do it now."

"Nah. We've taken plenty of trips together since then. We're good."

Georgia picked up her drink and asked Niki, "When do you go on the road again?"

"We're doing the second part of the Midwest after we get back from our honeymoon. Then we head to the South. After that? I think we go visit the Southwest and then the Pacific Northwest. Our final stops will be pretty much local. L.A., San Diego, San Francisco, and Phoenix. I'll be glad when we're done with all that. But for now, I just want to concentrate on the wedding."

Penny was curious, "Have you guys picked your processional and recessional music?"

Niki nodded and replied, "Oh yeah, we did that a long time ago."

Amanda leaned forward eagerly, "Give us a hint, what songs are you going to be using?"

Niki grinned wickedly, "Nope. This is the fun part. I'll surprise you guys with them at the rehearsal. Sheldon and I both liked the same two songs, so those are what we are going to be using."

Georgia showed Niki a picture of them in their dresses they had taken while she was away, "What do you think of our dresses?"

Niki had helped pick them, but had never actually seen her friends wearing them. She studied the picture and replied in an excited voice, "Love them! All long halter dresses that suit all of you perfectly. I like how you guys followed the color scheme. Blue and green. Penny and Bernie in blue, Amanda and Georgia in green. I'm going to have the most beautiful bridesmaids and Matron of Honor there ever has been!"

Georgia had a question for her, "How come Penny's your MOH and not your sister?"

Bernie answered that one quickly, "Girls, have you ever met her sister? That one is easy to answer. The woman's a true bitch."

Penny decided to change the subject, "How is Sheldon doing?"

Niki gave a small laugh and told her, "He's actually handling all this better than I am. He's trying to keep it light. You know, I could be mistaken, but I think he's actually developing a sense of humor."

Bernie shook her head in disagreement, "I think you could be wrong."

Niki shrugged and picked up her cup of tea, "I don't know. Maybe I am. Time will tell."

Amanda asked, "Okay, now, who's the flower girl?"

Niki smiled at Bernie, "Kelly. Who else? She's our favorite little girl in the world!"

Bernie smiled back at her and added, "She loves both of you guys, too."

Penny threw out, "Ring bearer?"

"Sheldon's youngest nephew is doing the deed."

Georgia loved flowers, so she asked, "Are the flowers ready?"

Niki nodded in affirmation, "Yep. Blue, green, and white carnations with baby's breath."

Penny put an arm around her and gave her a hug, "You've got it all in hand, then?"

"I think so. Our cake is ordered, the menu and wine list is set. We have all the songs for our reception picked out, and my gown should be ready in a week. Now, if I can just make to my wedding day without falling apart. Let me tell you something, those tours are taking their toll on me. Sheldon warned me they would be exhausting, but I'm having a hard time recovering from them. It's constant travel, constantly being on display, and getting very little sleep. He seems to get energized by the entire thing. I sure don't."

Amanda nodded and said, "Raj says it wearing on him, too. But he's recovered now. You've been home almost a week now."

Niki shook her head as if she couldn't quite believe how time had flown, "Yes, in less than two weeks, I'll be Mrs. Niki Cooper."

Penny smiled at her friend and began to reminisce, "I'm still trying to assimilate that. First you're working with Sheldon; then, you're friends; soon, you're dating; next, you're living together; after that, you buy into a joint business; next, you publish an important paper; when you're done with that, you enter and win a national physics competition; and now you're getting married. How did this all happen so fast?"

Niki thought a moment and told her, "I have no idea. Life is strange sometimes. Our life together has been interesting if nothing else."

Bernie added softly, "You must really love him. He's kind of different in some ways."

Niki nodded at Bernie, but then told her, "Perhaps, but not as much as you'd think. He's changed a lot in the last year, but not totally. I mean, he's always going to be friends with Leonard and the rest of the guys, he'll always love science and superheroes, Star Trek and Star Wars, and Halo and other games aren't going away anytime soon. No, the change has been in how he deals with other people."

Penny agreed with her, "Yeah, that's changed a lot. He empathizes a lot more now."

Bernie said, "He teases Howie a lot less, too."

Penny added, "He's now really giving and more empathetic."

Niki looked at all her friends and told them, "The biggest change is that now he can admit when he's wrong and others are right. It doesn't happen often, but I think he's a lot more humble now."

Bernie raised an eyebrow, "I don't know about that. He's still got a pretty big ego."

"Yeah, but it's more under control now. He's trying to get his life to mean something outside of science and I am doing everything I can to encourage that. But Sheldon's also taught me how to trust people again. He's never lied to me, he's shown me what true loyalty is all about, and he's introduced me to some awesome people who have become dear friends of mine." She smiled at the ladies sitting with her at the table, "I can't forget that Sheldon has changed me for the better, too."

Penny took a sip of her tea and addressed all of her friends, "Well, girls, I don't know about you, but to me it seems we're set for the wedding. Let's order some sushi, my doctor says eel and salmon are fine, and talk about plans for the bachelorette party."

And so they did.

Meanwhile, the men were having their own get together.

Howard started things off by needling Sheldon, "Hey, how does it feel to be marrying a woman who may be as smart as you are, maybe even smarter?"

Sheldon's smile was genuine as he answered, "It feels good. I can talk to Niki about work, music, books, food, about anything at all, and she always understands and has something meaningful to contribute to the conversation. Yes, it feels good. Okay, she draws the line at comic books, but who's perfect?"

Leonard grinned at his best friend, "She's a bright one, all right."

"Leonard, Remember how I once told you that Amy was the dryer sheet of my heart?"

Leonard nodded, "Oh yeah, I remember that very clearly."

Sheldon continued, "Well, Niki is like the flashlight that makes my life brighter. She doesn't let me get away with a whole lot of selfishness, and dear lord, I need that. But she always sees the best in me, too."

Howard gave a heartfelt, "Amen."

Sheldon smiled fondly at him, "Says the non-observant Jew."

Raj became worried they would start their pattern of bickering again, so he tried to keep things calm, "Okay, you guys. Remember we're all friends here."

Sheldon gave one of his odd laughs, "How could I forget? You guys have been hanging with me for years now." He added a sober thought to that, "I'm sure it hasn't always been easy."

Leonard responded with a quick, "No, but it's been interesting."

"That's what Niki says." He suddenly came out with, "I wish I could make her laugh."

Howard thought he had misunderstood what Sheldon had said, "Excuse me? Did you say you want to make her laugh?"

Sheldon began to explain to the group, "She has told me on multiple occasions that her favorite thing about her late husband was that he made her laugh, and I remember her laughing with Dr. Andreadis from Yale. I've never really made Niki laugh. Howard, Bernadette has told my several times she loves how funny you are, and Penny says the same thing about you, Leonard. I'm sure that Niki has never said the same thing about me."

Raj tried to make Sheldon feel better, "She must see something in you. She's marrying you."

Howard kidded him, "Yeah, without a shotgun, too."

"Joke if you will, but I want to figure out how to make Niki laugh."

Stuart answered him with, "Well, you don't really laugh much, Sheldon. Maybe your sense of humor isn't the same as what those guys had."

He nodded in agreement, "Sadly, I think you're right."

Howard didn't want the evening to turn maudlin, so he suggested, "Let's change the subject, shall we? Sheldon, what do you think the biggest difference is between Amy and Niki?"

Sheldon considered that question for awhile and then said, "Well…obviously Amy was more patient, Niki has little patience. Amy was complaint and sweet. Niki is not compliant unless it suits her, but she's sweet, in her own way. Hmmm…Amy was brunette and Niki is blonde, there's that. Amy's eyes were green and Niki's are grey. And Amy was short while Niki is tall. You know what's funny, fellas?

Raj answered with, "What?"

"I consider both of them desirable women, even though Amy was very different physically and emotionally from Niki. Wait a minute…I just had an idea on how to make Niki laugh!"

Leonard looked at him, a concerned look on his face, "I'm almost scared to ask, but I'll bite. What did you come up with, buddy?"

"Leonard, do you remember that night shortly after Amy died and you sat up all night watching Saturday Night Live videos with me?"

"Yeah, I was trying to get your mind off of things."

Sheldon nodded eagerly, "Yes. Well it worked for a little while. Anyway, that evening has inspired me. Listen to this guys, I think this will get her to laugh." He began to lay out his plan to them.

After Sheldon had shared his idea with them, they all agreed to help him pull it off. "This is going to be so good!" Raj exclaimed.

Howard was excited and told him, "Yeah, all the girls should get a kick out of this. Sheldon, that was a great idea!"

Stuart agreed, "I'm in. Georgia will love it!"

Leonard laughed out loud and said, "I can't wait to see Penny's face. Yes! Let's do it!"

What is Sheldon's idea? I think we'll leave the guys now while they work on Sheldon's plan. I wouldn't want to spoil the surprise for you good people.

Time flew by and soon it was the day before their wedding. All the members of the wedding party were gathered on the Queen Mary for the rehearsal dinner. Before they sat down with their guests, the entire wedding party had a run through of the actual ceremony and by the time it was over, they all knew their places and their parts in the wedding. Everyone loved the processional and recessional songs Niki and Sheldon had chosen.

When they were all gathered at the table for the rehearsal dinner, Niki spoke, "I think everyone at here knows everyone else, except Sheldon's nephews. I will leave him to the introductions."

Sheldon cleared his throat and began the introductions, "Okay, thank you, Niki. Now, for those who haven't had the pleasure yet, this beautiful lady here is my twin sister, Missy. That handsome chap next to her is her husband, Chuck. They have given me three wonderful nephews, who are seated right over there next to them. There's Michael, the oldest. I was present at your birth, young man. You will always be special to your Uncle Sheldon." The teenage boy shyly smiled at his uncle's introduction. "Next to Michael is their second son, Mitchell. I wasn't there for Mitchell's birth, but I was one of the first people informed of his arrival." A mischievous looking boy of about ten stood up quickly and then sat back down. "The last of these handsome boys is Matthew. I am proud to announce that Matthew has consented to be my ring bearer tomorrow. He's an extremely intelligent boy who reminds me quite a bit of myself at his age. Matthew, stand up so everyone can see you." A young boy of about five-years-old with a very studious look on his face stood up and surveyed the table as if making a critical assessment. The boy looked exactly like a young Sheldon Cooper. When done with his examination of the guests, Matthew, like his brothers before him, sat down.

Georgia thought they were wonderful boys and commented, "They're such handsome boys, Missy. You and Chuck must be so proud."

"Except when Matthew tries to blow up the neighborhood with his experiments!"

"That's my nephew!" Sheldon said proudly, his chest a little puffed out.

Niki then proceeded to introduce Sheldon's family to Stuart and Georgia, and her own family. Sheldon's family had met all of his friends years before and had been treated to a much edited video of Raj's nuptials.

When the introductions were finished, Missy smile warmly at Sheldon and exclaimed, "I can't believe my brother's gettin' married again. Congratulations, Shelly."

"Thank you, Missy. It seems I've gotten very lucky twice in my life. I've found two women who were willing to put up with me."

Bernie shot Niki a look like, _Maybe you were right about him getting a sense of humor._

After dinner had been eaten, the guest talked for awhile and then everyone made their way to their rooms or a lounge or deck of their choice on the ship. Sheldon, Raj, Alfred, Leonard, Stuart, and Howard took off for Sheldon's Bachelor party while Niki, Penny, Georgia, Bernadette, Mary, Amanda, Niki's sister Janine, and her mother, headed off for Niki's Bachelorette party.

Sheldon's Bachelor Party was in full swing with gaming, scientific discussions, and sex talk (mostly provided by Howard). All the guys had given Sheldon personal wedding gifts. Leonard had given him a digital photo album chronicling all the good times they had spent together.

"Leonard, I'm touched. Looking at this, I see that our friendship has been genuine and full of adventures."

Howard's gift had been more geared toward the honeymoon. He had gifted Sheldon with a copy of The Joy of Sex, edible panties, body paints, and flavored massage oils.

Sheldon had asked him, "What, no inflatable doll in there?"

"You don't need one anymore." Howard had joked in return.

Raj presented him with more honeymoon aids. His gifts were assorted flavors of incense, candles, and a boxed set of mood music.

"I see you guys are making sure Niki and I will enjoy our honeymoon. Thank you, Raj."

Stuart shyly gave Sheldon his gift last. It was a carefully wrapped, mint condition, complete collection of comic books featuring all of the Marvel comic superheroes.

"Stuart, I am speechless. This gift will always mean a great deal to me. Thank you."

They were continuing with the party when suddenly a knock came on the door. Sheldon went to answer it and was taken aback when he discovered Dr. Beverly Hofstadter standing in the hall.

"Hello, Sheldon." She held up her hand to keep him from answering her greeting. "I have come here to make amends with both you and my son. I know I treated you badly after Amy's passing and I said some cruel and despicable things to you. I want you to know that I regret all of those things and I wish they had never happened. Leonard," she turned to address her son, "I also have some apologizing to do to you. I was a cold, unfeeling, and difficult mother, I understand that now. I would like to forge a new relationship with you, your wife, and all of your friends. That is, if you are all willing."

Sheldon was curious and a bit mistrusting, "What led you to all these revelations, Beverly?"

"Yeah, Mom. Did you try brain surgery? Hypnosis? What was it?"

"Leonard, like Sheldon, I met someone who truly opened my mind and my heart to how badly I had been treating all of the people in my life that I cherished. I love you, son. And despite my cutting remarks over the years, I am very, very, proud of you and the work you have done. I am also very happy you married such as sweet, beautiful, and caring person as Penny . I can see why you gravitated to her. She is everything I was not. I would love the chance to make up for my past horrid behavior with both of you. Sheldon, I said some horrible things to you after Amy's death because I did not want to appear vulnerable to you. I loved how you were stoic, logic driven, and practical, much like myself. But, when Amy died I saw that you were really caring, loving, and emotional and that scared me because I did not want to admit that I harbored those feelings as well. You might say I projected my own shortcomings onto both of you with disastrous results. Sheldon, I have heard through Leonard that you are marrying an intelligent, loving and insightful young lady tomorrow. She has helped you heal and grow much as my Roger has helped me admit and embrace my true feelings. I am so very sorry I hurt you, Sheldon, and I would dearly love for us to become friends again. Am I asking too much of you two?"

Leonard had a question for his mother, "First things, first, Mother. Who the hell is Roger?"

Beverly began to explain to them, "Roger is my special gentleman friend. I met him at a psychiatric symposium. He was tall, handsome, and everything emotionally I wasn't. We became friends as he saw something in me no one else ever had. And he drew that part out gradually. One day, I realized how cold and hurting I had been to people and I vowed to become a new Beverly Hofstadter. More like Roger and less like the old me. He is a kind, caring, and patient individual who has made a great difference in my life."

Sheldon smiled and walked over to her and gave her a hug, "I understand meeting a person like that, Beverly. Niki seems to be much like your Roger, except for the patient part. I, too, became aware of the person I had been and the person I wanted to become. Amy started me on that road and NIki picked up where she had left off. I have one word of advice for you, Beverly. Marry him. People like that are priceless."

"Sheldon," she held up her left hand and displayed an elegant engagement ring, "I have every intention of doing just that. Now, I need to say something to my son. Leonard, will you give me the opportunity to forge a new, more improved, mother/son relationship? We have wasted too many years being at odds with each other. I no longer want that for us."

Leonard simply stared at his mother for a moment and then walked over to her and enveloped her in a warm hug of his own. "Mother, I would love nothing more than to do that. Let's start right now."

Beverly smiled warmly at her son and told him, "In a minute, Leonard. Now I will ask Sheldon the same sort of question. Will you give us a chance to resume our friendship, with some major improvements?"

"Beverly, there have been improvements on both sides here. I would be more than accepting of a new friendship with you." He gave Beverly a beer and held up his own, "To our new and improved friendship!"

Beverly opened her beer and raised it up, "To our new friendship, Sheldon."

Mother," Leonard held up his own beer and said, "let's toast our new relationship, too."

Beverly smiled and once again hoisted her beer in the air, "To us, my son." She took a sip of her beer and told them, "Now, I hate to be a party pooper, but I have some apologizing to do to your female counterparts as well. Sheldon, is Mary with the ladies?"

He nodded, "Yes, of course."

"Well, I owe her the biggest apology of all the women there. I belittled her beliefs and that was unkind. I will go tell her so immediately."

Sheldon had to say, "Beverly, she belittled yours, also."

"Only because I challenged her. She accepts all the rest of you who do not share her beliefs because you allow her to have her own. I did not and I was wrong. I shall see you all later; I am now off to visit the ladies. Rajesh, Stuart, Howard, l bid you good evening, also."

With that, Dr. Beverly Hofstadter made her way to Niki's Bachelorette Party.

Beverly walked hesitantly into the lounge that held Niki's Bachlorette party. She saw Penny and waved timidly at her and then gathered her courage and approached the group.

"Penny, I have come here to make amends. I have often treated you unkindly and there was no good reason for me to act that way except for my own, selfish, insecurities. You were everything I was not, young, attractive, and kind. I was none of that. I have already been over to see Leonard and Sheldon and have apologized for my actions to them. I now want to do that with you, my dear."

Penny was shocked at Beverly's confession and showed it, "You had insecurities? You sure didn't act like it."

I'm a good actress. Oh, not as gifted at that as you are, but good enough. I now see the true worth of both you and Leonard. A better son no woman has ever had, though I was far from the best mother. I am ashamed of how I treated the both of you." She turned to speak to Sheldon's mother as well, "And Mary, we have differences in what we believe, but that was no reason for us to go at each other as we have. I was especially at fault. I still do not agree with your beliefs, but I do respect them. They have made you a far better mother than I ever was and that is the truth."

Mary stared at her former nemesis, smiled and replied, "The Lord asks us to forgive others as He forgives us. Seein' as how he has a heap of things to forgive me for, I reckon I can forgive you, Beverly. It took a big person to come here and tell us that. Maybe we could even be friends, seein' as how our sons are kind of related now and all." Mary moved toward Beverly, who met her halfway. Soon, they were both enveloping each other in a warm embrace.

Penny declared, "Hey, what about me? Aren't I getting a hug, too?"

"Of course, my dear. I have been saving one especially for my beautiful daughter-in-law."

After they had hugged, Penny turned to Niki, Amanda, and Georgia and explained who their visitor was. "Guys, this is Beverly, Leonard's mom. Is it okay if she joins us?"

Niki smiled and welcomed her. "Sure, Penny. Welcome, Beverly. Can I get you a drink?"

"A Long Island Iced Tea, please. Sheldon has informed me that it is a wonderful drink."

Penny laughed and remarked, "It sure worked wonders on him." She looked at the group and told them, "Long story. I'll tell you later."

After a bit of talking and a lot of drinking by everyone but Penny and Niki, the gift exchange took place. Penny told Niki, "I wanted to give you something special to signify that you and the Wackadoodle are now legal." She handed Niki a package which she tore open to find a welcome mat for their doorway with the words, 'The Coopers' written across it in beautiful cursive handwriting.

"Penny, only you could have thought of something so touching and yet so practical. This really brings the reality home to me that tomorrow I will become Mrs. Wackadoodle." Everyone laughed at the nickname Penny had fondly given Sheldon many years earlier.

Bernie spoke up in her cute little voice, "My turn. Niki, you have made the friendship between Sheldon and my Howie so much stronger and better. So, I decided to give you something I know you'll really appreciate." Bernadette handed her a gift bag that contained a book of Favorite Sushi Recipes.

"Thanks, Bernie. I'll try this on Sheldon. But if he won't go for it, I'll try it out on you guys."

Amanda was next and she handed Niki a gaily decorated gift bag full of sex toys. As Niki broke up laughing, Amanda told her, "And don't you dare say you'll try them out on us if Sheldon won't go for it!"

When Niki finished wiping the tears of laughter out of her eyes, she replied, "Any of you who know me and Sheldon know that he will definitely go for these. Rest easy, girls."

Georgia exclaimed, "I'm next! Niki, you always smell so heavenly and I know you love Bath and Body Works, so here." She handed Niki and envelope full of BBW gift cards.

"Thank you, Georgia. Between you and Amanda, I'm set for my wedding night."

Beverly came forward, "I have something for you and Sheldon as well." She passed a tastefully wrapped package over to Niki who opened it to find a leather bound copy of her, Sheldon, and Raj's published paper.

"Beverly, I don't know you, but I do know that Sheldon has missed your friendship. I will show this to him tomorrow. Thank you so much."

"I do believe that we professional women should stick together." She noticed Penny's downcast face and smiled warmly at her. "Penny, you are a professional woman as well. So, I put together something especially for you." She handed Penny another package which contained a bound copy of every review Penny had received since going back to acting.

"Beverly," Penny's eyes began to tear up, "this is perfect! Thank you. I don't know what to say."

Beverly gathered up her purse and headed toward the exit, "Your thanks and the look on your face was more than enough. Now, I know I have no invitation to the wedding, so I will be taking my leave. Goodnight, ladies."

"Wait just a minute, Bev." Niki called to her. "I'm going to call Sheldon. I think we can fit in one more person."

"That would be two people, Niki." She held up her hand and showed them her ring.

Penny blurted out, "Holy crap on a cracker! When did that happen?"

Beverly smiled fondly at her and explained, "I met him about a year ago. He is a very special person to me. Leonard and Sheldon will fill you in on the details."

"Still, I think we can make room for another couple. Let me call Sheldon."

Sheldon, of course, was more than happy to include his best friend's mother and her man among the wedding and reception guests. Soon, everyone decided it was best to end the party. Tomorrow was going to be a big day for all of them and they wanted to be well rested in order to enjoy it to its fullest. The wedding was at six in the evening, so they all knew the reception could go on until after midnight.

Saying her goodbyes to all of her friends, Niki gathered up her presents and made her way back to her room. She couldn't wait to show all of the gifts she had received to Sheldon. Little did she know, he was heading back to the room with the same thing in mind.

 **Well, the parties ended early in the morning and everyone headed off to bed to prepare themselves for the wedding the next day. I'm getting excited for this wedding. Are you?**


	58. Chapter 58

Chapter 58: I Now Pronounce You

 **Ladies and gentlemen; you are all invited to the wedding of Sheldon Lee Cooper and Nikita Elyse Horner on April 18** **th** **, 2027, at 6:00 p.m. on the Sun Deck of the Queen Mary, Long Beach, California.**

Niki and her wedding party were gathered in a back room right off the deck, getting ready for the ceremony.

Penny looked at Niki and said in a voice that failed to mask her excitement, "Well, this is it. In a little while you're going to become Mrs. Sheldon Cooper!"

Niki gently corrected her, "Uh, no. I'll become Mrs. _Niki_ Cooper. His first name is his, I'm not stealing it. I'm keeping my professional name, though."

Bernie took a break from applying her makeup and asked, "Why? I just hyphenated mine."

Niki explained to them, "Because I like my name and that name is on my resume and on any professional work I have done. It would get confusing if I changed it."

Bernie looked at her and asked, "Sheldon's okay with that?"

"It was his idea. He strongly supports my professional independence. He isn't being pressured to change his name. Why should I have to? I am kind of getting a kick out of being Niki Cooper, though. I'm not rejecting his name totally. I want us and any children we may have to all have the same surname. Now that that is settled, let's get dressed."

"I can't wait to see you in your gown."

"Well, girls, here it is." Niki put on her simple, yet gorgeous, wedding dress, which was what she had wanted. It was a silk, tri colored, floor length, ombre slip dress with spaghetti straps. The gown was green on the bottom fading to blue above the knees, with a white bodice. The lines were simple, the colors muted, and it suited her to a T.

Penny gasped, "You look stunning!"

Bernie added, "You really do. Sheldon will be speechless when he sees you!"

Niki grinned at them, "Okay you guys, time to put on your dresses. I've never actually seen you in them outside of a couple of pictures."

When the ladies were finished dressing, Niki stood back and admire them. "Just beautiful, ladies. Penny, you and Bernie look like dreams in blue and green makes Amanda and Georgia's eyes just pop." Niki knelt down and said to Bernie's daughter, "Now, Kelly, you are the most beautiful flower girl ever. It's only right that you go down the aisle first with Matthew." The little girl smiled proudly. Aunt Niki was one of her favorite people and praise from her went straight to her heart. Kelly's dress was a miniature of the bridesmaids' dresses, being a floor length halter dress. But her dress was white with faint blue and green flowers covering it. She looked adorable.

The ladies finished applying their makeup and Bernie asked Niki, "Are you wearing something old, new, borrowed, and blue?

Niki smiled at her pint sized friend, "You bet. My tiara is new, my sapphire pendant is my blue, I borrowed this silver bracelet from my mother, and something old is waiting out there to marry me. Just kidding. I'm wearing an heirloom ring I got from my grandmother on my right hand. I've got it all covered."

Georgia looked Niki's head adornment, "Is that the tiara Sheldon got you for Christmas?"

"One and the same. I knew I'd have an occasion to wear it sooner or later."

"Listen, the music is starting to play. It's almost time. Are you ready, Niki?"

"More than ready, Amanda. Let's do this thing."

Meanwhile, the men were also making their preparations.

Stuart straightened his tie and said, "Well, Sheldon, it won't be long now."

Leonard added, "You're marrying a great gal, I hope you know that. "

"I'm marrying the best gal, Leonard. At least, the best gal for me."

Raj nodded in agreement as he adjusted his boutonniere, "That is so true. We each needed something different and we each got that in our ladies."

Sheldon looked over at his newly married friend, "How is married life treating you, Koothrappali?"

"Couldn't be better. I hope your marriage is just as happy."

Sheldon found his suit jacket and put it on. He was wearing a white suit with a blue shirt and green tie, as were all the groomsmen. He looked out at the crowd and towards the door from which the ladies would appear and told his friends, "I really do love her."

Leonard smiled at him warmly, "Yeah, we know that, buddy. It's not like there's been a parade of women coming through your life. When you're with a woman, it has to be love."

"And that it is. I can't wait to make Niki my wife."

Howard announced to all of them, "Well, as Stuart said, it won't be long now."

Raj donned his jacket and told Sheldon, "I'm jealous of your honeymoon. I would have loved to go to Hawaii."

"It will be a working honeymoon, Raj. We're going to Mauna Kea and doing a bit of research."

"I know, that's why I'm jealous."

Howard helped Sheldon with his tie, "Raj, the only thing you love as much as Amanda and Cinnamon is a telescope."

"You better believe it. Amanda and I are going to Mauna Kea for our anniversary."

Stuart aided Sheldon with his boutonniere and said, "There's the music. Are we all ready to go?"

Howard answered him, "As ready as we'll ever be. C'mon Sheldon, it's time to rock n' roll."

"Let it be so. My bride will soon be walking down that aisle and I don't want to miss a second of it."

As the processional music began, the men took their places by the altar. Leonard looked up and got a little misty eyed as he recognized the song they had chosen. It was Bette Midler's The Rose and it suited Sheldon and Niki's story perfectly.

He whispered to his friend, "Great song. Who picked it?"

Sheldon answered his friend, "We both did. We thought it a fitting tune for us."

Leonard nodded and said, "You got that right. I don't think there's a dry eye in the house."

Sheldon looked down the aisle and smiled broadly, 'Look at Kelly and Michael. She looks like a little angel and he looks so grown up in his suit."

Howard announced, "Here come the girls. Are you ready for this, Sheldon?"

"I've been ready for this since the day I met her, actually. That little lady handed all of the attitude I gave her right back to me, with interest. She also knows how to influence me without being overbearing. She takes nothing off me, but at the same time, she gives me so much. She is indeed unique."

Howard stifled a laugh and told him, "I could say the same thing about you. You guys are a perfect match."

Kelly and her male counterpart led the procession down the aisle to the haunting strains of The Rose. Georgia followed a bit thereafter, and at equal intervals of time, Amanda, Bernadette, and then Penny followed her, the blue and green theme of the day showcased by all of their gowns.

Niki suddenly made her way down the deck on Alfred's arm. He was the nearest thing she had to a father and he and Mary had gladly volunteered his services for this wedding. He thought of Sheldon as another of his sons and he was extremely fond of Niki. So, filling the role of her father was something he was more than happy to do.

Sheldon watched the bridesmaids and Maid of Honor make their way up the aisle. Such good friends they were and he gave each one a warm smile. He saved his biggest smile for Penny. He now knew that it had been Penny who had persuaded Niki to open her heart to him. In some roundabout way, Penny and Raj were the reason this day was happening.

Then, he saw her. Niki was coming towards him on the arm of his stepfather. Her gown was pure Niki. Simple, clean, and beautiful. Sheldon could not have pictured her in a frilly, fussy, wedding gown, that was not her style. She had stayed true to herself, even in picking a wedding dress. Their eyes met and his mind was transported back to the very first time he and Niki had met:

 _"Dr. Nikita Horner, this is Dr. Sheldon Cooper. Sheldon, Nikita."_

 _"On what planet do you find this acceptable, Dr. Koothrappali?_

 _"Dr. Cooper, I assure you I am qualified."_

 _"Enjoy your time with Niki. You will find her a more than adequate assistant, plus, she's fun once you get to know her!"_

 _"I don't need fun, Raj. I need results."_

 _"Don't worry, you'll get both."_

And he had. More than he had ever dreamed possible.

Niki finally reached the altar under the temporary canopy and turned to face him as the final words of The Rose were sung. His eyes took in all of her. Her amazing grey eyes that turned to molten silver whenever she was excited or angry, the adorable smattering of freckles across the bridge of her nose and her cheeks, her even, white teeth, and her full bottom lip that almost, but not quite, looked to be permanently pouting. How he loved all of it!

Niki released her hold on Alfred and took her place next to Sheldon. She studied the face she knew so well and which still attracted her so strongly. The intelligent blue eyes which clearly telegraphed his every mood, his tender lips that always seemed to be ready for a kiss, and the sweetest dimples that only made an appearance when he was truly amused or happy. How she adored this face and treasured every morning she woke up next to it! Sheldon was the person who had healed her heart and allowed her to trust in love once more. He was an amazing man.

They both turned to face the minister when he began to speak:

 _Today there will be no dearly beloved, no betrothed, and no ancient rhyme of the married. Today there are no dead languages to solemnize vows that are very much alive and will remain so for a lifetime._

 _Today promises become permanent and friends become family. However, this day is not about the words spoken or the rings exchanged, nor is it about grand pronouncements and recessional marches. This day – the day of Nikita and Sheldon's wedding – is about love._

 _One of my favorite authors, Edna St. Vincent Millay, once wrote, "If love is not all, then it is nothing: this principle, and its opposite, collides down all the years of my breathless tale." Nikita and Sheldon, your breathless tale is about to begin. If love is not all, then it is nothing. Its opposite – if love is all, then it is everything – is going to be the basis for every aspect of your relationship._

 _All you have to do is simply love one another and have that love show through in everything you do for one another, how you treat each other, in good times and bad. Love isn't just a word; it's an action. Love isn't something you say, it's something you do._

 _Love is genuine, honest, and open, compassionate and kind, passionate and blind, love doesn't know space or time, nor look through jealous eyes. And in the modified words of Paul in his letter to the Corinthians, "Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. Love never dies."_

 _There are many different kinds of love, most, if not all, of which are represented here today. There is romantic love, the love of parents and children, of brothers and sisters and family, and love among friends._

 _Your friends and family have shared these facts with me, so I feel free to repeat them here. Not only do Nikita and Sheldon love one another romantically – and they do, you can see it in every look, every touch, every moment they are together – they also love one another as friends. In fact, they're best friends, constantly giggling, taunting and teasing, dancing, working, and very plainly and obviously having fun together. That love and enjoyment of each other as best friends will sustain them through this marriage._

 _In addition, the love collectively in this room, from friends and family, will help sustain and support the promises they make today. All of us here today will help solidify this bond, as these two individuals are joined as husband and wife._

 _This new journey will be at times richly rewarding and extremely difficult, but, most importantly, it will be a journey you take together. Marriage is much more than your signatures on a legal contract. You are promising, in front of all these people you love, that you want to be with each other and only each other for the rest of your lives, and that you will do everything in your power to honor the promises you are making here today._

 _For their part, the people who love you will also do everything in their power to try and help you hold up your end of the bargain._

 _Nikita, can you please tell Sheldon what is in your heart today and always._

"Sheldon, you are honest, understanding, fun, and the most intelligent person I have ever met. You're also the best dance and research partner I've ever had. To be loved by Sheldon Cooper is to be given a priceless gift and I am honored to become your wife. Sheldon Lee Cooper, I love you to the furthest stars in the universe and back."

 _Sheldon, can you please tell Nikita what is in your heart today and always._

"Niki I had written some wordy, heartfelt vows to read to you, but all the words I had written flew out of my head as I saw you walk down the aisle. For the first time in my life, my memory has failed me. So here are my abridged vows: Dr. Horner is your professional name and no one present deserves the title doctor more than you. Niki, you came into my life and did what I thought was impossible, you healed my broken heart and showed me how to live a life that is both rich and full of love and caring. There is no greater doctorate earned than that. I will love you for infinity and if it were possible, beyond that."

 _May I have the rings for blessing._

Penny and Leonard handed the minister the rings of white gold, both of which were fashioned with an infinity symbol inlaid in the band with black onyx.

 _May these rings be blessed as the symbol of this affectionate unity. These two lives are now joined in one unbroken circle. Wherever they go – may they always return to one another. May these two find in each other the love for which all men and women yearn. May they grow in understanding and in compassion. May the home which they establish together be such a place that many will find these qualities contained within its walls._

 _Are you ready to exchange your rings and your vows?_

Both Niki and Sheldon nodded an affirmation.

 _Do you, Sheldon Lee Cooper, take this woman, Nikita Elyse Horner, to be your beloved wife from this day forward, as long as you both shall live?_

"I do."

 _Do you, Nikita Elyse Horner, take this man, Sheldon Lee Cooper, to be your beloved husband from this day forward, as long as you both shall live?_

"I do."

 _Sheldon, place the ring on Nikita's finger and tell her the words you have prepared._

"With this ring, I marry you, with my loving heart, with my willing body, and with my eternal soul."

 _Nikita, place this ring on Sheldon's finger and tell him the words you have prepared._

"With this ring, I marry you, with my loving heart, with my willing body, and with my eternal soul."

 _By the power invested in me by the Unitarian Church and the State of California, I now pronounce you man and wife. The bride and groom may now kiss._

Sheldon took his bride into his arms and kissed her sweetly for quite a long time. When they finally broke their kiss, Sheldon smiled and said to her, "Do you have any plans for later on tonight?" to which Niki laughed so hard she almost fell to the floor. Sheldon's smile was immense. He had made his wife laugh and laugh hard. He thought this was a very good omen for their marriage. He took her hand in his and said, "Come, Mrs. Cooper. It's time to get out of here and treat all of our friends to a wonderful party."

"Cooper, once again, you sure now how to sweet talk a girl. Oh, listen, the recessional song is starting."

All the couples looked at each other meaningfully as Sonny and Cher's "I Got You Babe" began to play. One by one, each couple joined hands and prepared to walk back down the aisle. Sheldon and Niki listened carefully to the words and realized they were fitting for all of the couples in attendance that day. Young or old, scientist or homemaker, rich or poor, the words rang true for all of them. The minister had been correct, love was all and it was everything.

 **Our happy couple is now husband and wife. What's next? An amazing reception!**


	59. Chapter 59

Chapter 59: Party Time!

 **Let's join everyone for a very interesting, fun-filled, reception. Sheldon and Niki are finally married and Niki has something to tell her new husband.**

Everyone in the wedding party assembled themselves for the receiving line. Bernie whispered to Niki, "I know you have something to tell Sheldon. When are you going to spill the beans?"

Niki looked back at her and said, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Bernie shot her a look that said she did not believe her for a second and responded, "Better try that again."

Niki sighed and rolled her eyes, "I don't know how you found out," she hissed, "but I fully intend to let him know sometime tonight."

Bernie nodded and whispered once more, "I'm on your side, but he needs to be told."

Niki nodded, "I know, I know. Like I said, I'll tell him tonight."

"What are you two nattering about?" Sheldon asked. He was extremely curious as to just what Bernie and Niki were telling each other.

Niki quickly thought up a plausible story, "We were discussing where we were going to be taking the wedding photos."

Sheldon looked worried, "I thought we were going to do that on the deck. Has something changed?"

"Not at all. Bernie just wanted to know if they were still going to be taken outside as it's starting to get dark."

Sheldon still didn't understand Bernie's concern, "They're professionals. Don't they have equipment to handle such situations?"

Niki leaned in and answered him in a low voice, "Of course. That's what I told her."

"She should have already known that," he muttered, relieved that Bernadette's worries had been put to rest.

Soon, their attention was refocused on greeting and thanking all their guests for coming and sharing their special day with them. Bernie and her worries were soon forgotten by both of them. Eventually, it was time for them to return to the deck and take the mandatory wedding pictures. The photographers herded the entire wedding party under the canopy that covered the altar.

Niki and Penny took the most pictures together. After the receiving line duties were completed, Niki had asked Penny, "Seeing as my husband's mother is married to your husband's father, I'd say that makes them step brothers. Am I correct?"

Penny thought a moment and answered in an amused voice, "Yeah, I think that's right."

With that, Niki came over and put her arm around Penny's waist and said, "That kinda makes us sisters of some sort now, doesn't it?"

Penny's face broke out in a huge grin and she began to giggle. She then put her arm around Niki and told her, "Hey, I think you're right. And even if you're not, let's just call ourselves sisters anyway. We are sort of related now, so that's as good an explanation as any."

Sheldon made his way over and told them," I don't know what all the giggling is about, but I need a picture with my two best girls." He smiled and put an arm around each of their shoulders as the photographer grinned and snapped away. "Wait," he asked the photographer, "I just spied my third favorite girl and I need pictures of myself with all three of them." With that, Sheldon called out to Kelly and had her come over to join them. He placed the flower girl in front of them and they all smiled broadly as more photos were taken.

He then excused himself and went to join the men. He had multiple pictures taken with Leonard, Howard, Raj, and Stuart, his nephew, Matthew, and some taken of them all together. Sheldon was having the perfect day and he wanted to document as much of it as possible with video and pictures.

Niki, in turn, had pictures taken with all of the girls. She was having the wedding day she had always dreamed of and also wanted to preserve all the memories with pictures and video.

Sheldon then returned to Niki and they had the prerequisite wedding photos of the bride and groom taken, with several breaks between pictures because Sheldon kept leaning over to hug Niki and kiss her. The photographer finally had enough of that and informed them that he already had plenty of photos of them doing that and he wanted more traditional pictures of the bride and groom smiling for the camera. They honored his request and ended up with multiple pictures of a smiling, happy, newlywed couple.

When those photos were completed, both Sheldon and Niki took pictures with both families. Niki had photos taken with hers, Sheldon with his, and then all of them together. If nothing else, the wedding and immediate aftermath were being well documented. These pictures and the videos of their wedding and reception would be watched by them many, many, times in the future. That took Niki completely by surprise as she had never figured Sheldon was the sentimental type. She had figured wrong.

It was now time for the cocktail hour. Sheldon had ordered a full bar and had actually requested, and received, some of their favorite non-alcoholic champagne from Disneyland. They were set. As they entered the cocktail lounge, Sheldon and Niki were greeted by all of their guests. They were soon separated as Sheldon was corralled by his family and Niki by hers. Niki spied her mother in deep conversation with the minister and a sly grin appeared on her face. Audrey was working the Horner charm for all it was worth and Niki was glad to see it. Her mother had been, for the most part, alone since Niki's father had died. Seeing her flirting and being flirted with, did Niki's heart good. When they saw her coming, they paused their conversation and hailed the new bride. Niki greeted her mother with a hug and asked her to hold on to her sapphire pendant for her until after the reception.

Audry took it and asked her daughter, "Why do I need to take this, Nikita? Don't you want to wear it anymore? It's quite pretty."

"No, Mom. I love it. I just don't think I should wear it when I'm dancing. I could get hurt."

"A necklace hurting you while dancing? I highly doubt that."

Niki patter her mother on the arm and explained to her, "Mom, you've never seen me and Sheldon dance together. Trust me on this. I'll be back for it at the end of the night."

"All right, honey. But I think in return for this favor, you should go and talk to your sister for awhile." As Niki left to go find her sister, Audrey turned her attention once again to the handsome man at her side.

Her mother's insistence that she go and talk to her sister definitely put Niki on edge. She hadn't really talked to Janine since Thanksgiving and could see no reason why she should be compelled to do so now. Niki had made sure her sister and her husband were invited to the wedding but she hadn't been prepared, or agreeable, to doing anything more for her. She soon spotted her sister and her husband by the bar. Niki reluctantly approached them. For her mother's sake, she took a deep breath and greeted her sister, "Hello, Janine. Thank you and Carl for coming. I do hope you are having a nice time."

Her sister studied the venue carefully and responded, "Hello, Nikita. Yes, we are having a very good time here. This setting is lovely for a wedding. But you waited long enough for him to marry you, so this is the least you deserve."

Niki couldn't believe her ears. It infuriated her to hear her sister insult Sheldon that way. She hurried to correct her, "Janine, I didn't wait that long. We've only known each other a little over a year, since last January to be exact. Besides that, we've been kind of busy. You know, starting a new business, publishing a paper, winning an international physics competition, and going on a speaking tour, those kinds of things. They do take time and attention so I'd say we moved rather quickly from dating to marriage." _That ought to shut her up._

"Well, you needn't have lived in sin if you knew you were going to eventually marry. "

Niki was beginning to get annoyed, "Janine, that was a mutual decision we made and I'm very glad we did. If a couple doesn't wish to go that route, I fully respect that, too." _And who made that any of your_ _fucking business, anyway?_

Janine threw another barb, "Well, I suppose it doesn't matter at this point. He _did_ get around to marrying you."

Niki's patience was at an end, "Yes, _we_ did get around to it, didn't _we?_ There wasn't one decision made in this relationship that I did not have an equal voice in, believe me." Niki scanned the room, desperate to find someone else to converse with. She zoomed in on Mary and Alfred and excused herself to her sister, "Janine, I hate to end this conversation, but I see my mother-in-law over there and I'd better go talk to her. I want to start this marriage off on the right foot. Enjoy the bar and have a good time." With that, Niki headed across the room to the safety of her in-laws.

Mary greeted her with great warmth as she approached, "There's my brand new daughter -in-law!"

Niki gave her a warm hug and said, "Hello brand new mother-in-law. Did you enjoy the ceremony?"

"Honey, that was lovely. You and your bridesmaids were so beautiful and my son and his groomsmen were so handsome. You and my boy sure know how to plan a wedding."

Niki gave a wicked wink, "Wait until you see the reception. After the children leave, we have some interesting things planned. Don't get offended, now. We will just be having some fun."

"Honey, you two are married now. All's fair when you're married." Mary suddenly looked worried, "you guys ain't planning any of that kinky stuff, are you?"

Niki laughed, "We're talking about Sheldon, Mary. He's matured quite a bit, but kinky in front of family? No."

Mary took a sip on her cocktail and informed her, "Shelly was tellin' me you guys are tryin' for a little one."

Niki nodded, "Yes. We've been trying. I'm at an age where I don't want to wait too long."

"I hear ya. I'm just sayin' that I'd be tickled pink to have another grandchild."

"Thanks, Mary. We'll keep that in mind." She turned to Alfred, "Are you having a good time, sir?"

Alfred gave her a wounded look and asked her in a semi offended voice, "What's all this "sir" business? If my memory hasn't failed me, I just walked you down the aisle, young lady."

Niki's face turned a radiant red and she hastened to apologize, "Sorry, Alfred. Force of habit. I always use titles of respect with people I don't know well who older than myself. But I guess we're family now. So, let me try that again. Are you having a good time, Alfred?"

He hugged her and smiled, "That's better. And yes, Mary and I are having a wonderful time. You two picked the perfect venue for a wedding."

Niki explained to them, "Sheldon came up with the idea and I just went along with it. Very willingly, of course."

Mary nudged her husband in the side, "Didn't I tell you my son was a genius?"

Niki put her finger to her lips and warned them, "Shhh! Don't say that too loud. Here he comes. I'd like to keep him humble for as long as I can."

Sheldon approached their little group and announced, "Mother, Alfred, I see you have snagged the most beautiful woman in the room. How selfish of you two."

Niki corrected him kindly as she put her arm around his waist, "Sheldon, your mother should be the most beautiful woman in the room to you, not me."

Mary shook her head, "No, darlin', he's correct. You're his wife now and it's fittin' that you're the apple of his eye. I'm fine with that."

Niki sighed and nodded, "I guess this married business will take some getting used to, but I'm willing to take my time doing it."

Sheldon smiled and gave her shoulders a gentle squeeze, "Like the rest of your life?"

Niki smiled back at him and replied, "Well, yeah. Isn't that what this day is all about?"

Sheldon took a sip of his drink and then exclaimed, "Absolutely! I married the woman who is perfect for me, at least in my eyes. I hope you feel the same towards me."

Niki nodded, "Of course I do. I know no other man in the world is as well suited to me as you, Sheldon. So I'm guessing that it works both ways."

Sheldon finished his drink and placed the empty glass on the passing tray, "It truly does, Niki. Anyway, let's say good bye for now to these fine people and go talk to some of our friends."

As the newlyweds approached their friends, it was Howard who spoke first, "So, Sheldon, how does it feel to be married again?"

Sheldon playfully rolled his eyes and answered his friend, "Oh, I don't know, Howard. I suppose the fact that I spent quite a bit of money on this endeavor would lead one to believe I would be happy with the outcome."

Bernie mumbled, "Ask a stupid question, get a stupid answer."

Penny interceded, "Hey, Nik, I saw you talking to your sister. How is she?"

"As evil as always. Some things never change. Siblings can be difficult."

"Tell me about it. Say, how much longer until the reception?" Penny looked fondly over at her husband, who was conversing with Raj and Stuart, "Leonard's ready to eat and, believe it or not, dance." Penny noticed Niki and Sheldon's unbelieving faces and added," He's been taking lessons with me. "

"I want to see that! And I don't think I will have to wait that long, either. I see they're almost done setting up the tables and the DJ." Niki looked at her husband, "I can't wait to dance our first dance."

Bernie was curious and asked them, "What are you going to dance to?"

Sheldon and his bride grinned widely at each other, "The very first dance we ever danced together," they answered her in unison. Sheldon added, "We also danced to that song shortly after we kissed for the first time."

"So what's the song?" Howard asked them as he polished off the last of his drink.

Niki winked at Sheldon and told Howard, "That's for us to know and for you guys to find out. Which you will in a few, short, minutes."

*************************************************************************************Two of the event organizers were talking while preparing the Verandah Grill for the reception. "Hey, Mac, do you think you'll get much work keeping it within the boundaries of decency tonight?"

His counterpart erupted in a dismissive laugh, "Not a chance. The happy couple and their friends are mostly science geeks. This should be a pretty subdued affair. I'm sure I'll have trouble staying awake, if anything."

"Oh well, let's get this place ready. It looks like everyone out there is ready to come in."

One by one, people entered the reception room and took their seats at their assigned tables.

As for Sheldon and Niki, they waited until everyone was seated for the reception dinner before making their entrance. Sheldon walked over to the DJ before their dance and had a quick word with him. He then made sure that all the tables were positioned around three sides of the dance floor instead of a distance away on either side. That being done, he borrowed the microphone from the DJ and made the following announcement:

"Before Niki and I begin our dance, I want to give all of you a little background history concerning this song. This song was the very first piece of music Niki and I ever danced to and it was also the first song we danced to after we became a couple. So basically, this song was there at the start of our journey and we both thought it was only fitting that it be our first dance together as husband and wife. "

With that, the opening strains of Last Night of the World from Miss Saigon began to play and Sheldon took Niki in his arms and they began to dance a soft, sensuous rumba to its haunting notes. Memories flooded both of their minds and by the ending crescendo, the passionate feelings coursing between the two of them were clearly evident as Sheldon lifted her into the air and caught her again and held her close to his chest as the last notes of the song faded away.

When the happy couple had found their table at the far end of the dance floor and been seated there, the toasts to the bride and groom began.

Leonard stood up from his seat, raised his glass, and addressed the guests. "Hello, my name is Leonard Hofstadter and I've known Sheldon Cooper for many, many, years. At first he was just my annoying roommate, then he became a friend, and before I knew it, he was a good friend. Eventually, he became my best friend and I could not have imagined my life without him and his annoying eccentricities. A few years later, guess what happens? His mother married my father and we were now brothers. That seemed about right. Sheldon and I fight about many things and we always will. Things like the correct temperature to set the thermostat, what we eat for breakfast, my wife and her propensity for putting him in his place, bathroom rules, and my habit of developing anxiety over many things that Sheldon lets roll off his back and vice versa. In other words, we're like most brothers in this world. A little over a year ago, Sheldon asked if we could throw a dinner party. I was puzzled at that one. Sheldon has never been much for parties of any type. But I got my answer why he threw this party when I met his new assistant, Dr. Nikita Horner whom he had invited to join us that night. Niki wasn't your typical lady; she was different in a very nice way. She's smart, pretty, witty, and she seemed unfazed by all of Sheldon's antics. Within a few months, all of us; me, my wife, Raj, Howard, Bernadette, and Stuart were in love with this lady. Oh, Sheldon was, also. In return, Niki loved Sheldon for who he was, but like a typical woman, never stopped looking for ways to improve him. Happily, her plans worked." Niki hid her head in her hands while everyone else had a good natured laugh. Leonard continued, "Now, I don't think any of us could imagine Sheldon without Niki. To be honest, I don't think any of us could imagine ourselves without both Sheldon and Niki hanging around us. Niki is funny, brave, stubborn, and every bit as intelligent as her husband, which is really saying something. Shelly, you did good, buddy." Leonard raised his glass to the happy couple, "Here's to you and your bride."

Penny was the next person to rise and speak. "Hi, I'm Penny, Leonard's wife and Niki's Matron of Honor. Unlike Leonard, I'm keeping my speech short. I'm just going to say a big thank you to my friend, Sheldon Cooper. Thank you for being my friend all these years and thank you for bringing my good friend Niki into my life. We're all better for it." Like her husband before her, Penny lifted her glass to Sheldon and Niki, "Like Leonard said, you did good, Dr. Wackadoodle."

When Penny had finished her toast, Raj stood up and began his own. "Good evening. My name is Raj and I would like to toast one of my best friends, Sheldon Cooper, and his lovely wife, Nikita. They said I had to do this because I was the culprit who introduced them. So I'll do my best. Niki, let me give you a little background story on the man you have just married. I remember back in the day our group consisted of three horny young scientists…and Sheldon, who Howard tagged, C-3P-WeeHerman." Sheldon shot a not-so-amused look to Raj who continued speaking, "Sheldon never understood why we liked women so much. He was always completely disinterested. But we all grew up and the times sure have changed. Now all four of us are married and all four of us are horny. It's only fair, Sheldon, that now you should know something about Niki. The first time I met your bride was when I went up to Mt. Wilson to use their big telescope. I asked who was in charge of it and I was told it was Dr. Horner, or as she was known by the gang up there, F-Bomb. As you have most likely noticed, Sheldon, when Niki is upset, the whole world knows. She was no different up there and that's how she came by her nickname." Once again, Niki hid her face in her hands while her friends, family, and husband laughed. "So, I was introduced to this attractive lady astronomer who was very, very, impressed that I actually knew Dr. Sheldon Cooper. And I was very impressed that she knew her way around a giant telescope. Anyway, she asked if there were any openings at Cal Tech. Every time I went up there she asked me that same question. Finally, my assistant quit on me and I invited Niki to put in for the job. She got the position and I lent her to Sheldon to help him with his research for a few weeks while I went out of town. And the rest, as they say, is history. So here we are today, celebrating the marriage of C-3P-WeeHerman and F-Bomb. I swear, I couldn't make this stuff up. Sheldon, Niki, I love you guys and am honored to be called a friend by both of you. Congratulations."

Sheldon and Niki stood up together and began to address their guests, one after the other. Sheldon went first. "I first want to thank all of our friends, both of our families, and assorted coworkers who have taken the time out of their busy lives to come to witness the wonderful occasion of me and Niki exchanging our vows. Every one of you is special to us and we are overjoyed you are here today. I have been looking forward to this day for quite a while now, and I am beyond ecstatic that Nikita Horner is now Nikita Cooper. I love her so very much and it just made perfect sense to marry her. So that's what I did. Logic prevailed, but in a very romantic way. A wise man once told me to always let your wife have the last word, so with that in mind, I give you Niki.

Niki grinned at her husband, "Once again, Sheldon Cooper has played the part of the silver tongued devil. I can only repeat what Sheldon told all of you. Thank you for being here today. It means a lot to both of us to exchange our vows in front of the people who matter the most to us. When Sheldon proposed, I was beyond happy to say 'yes'. He is the perfect mate for me and someone was definitely looking out for me when Sheldon Cooper came into my life. I love you, Sheldon, and can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you." They both sat down and Sheldon's mother rose to speak.

"Evenin' everybody. My name's Mary and I'm the mother of that handsome man over there they call the groom. Sheldon's always been special to me and everyone else he has ever known. I always hear people talking about how special my son is and while I'm sure they say it as a compliment, sometimes I'm not so sure. Anywho, I'm not up here to talk about Sheldon, he does that enough for five people as it is. I'm here to talk about my new daughter-in-law, Niki. The very first time I ever laid eyes on her, she was wearing Mickey Mouse ears from Disneyland. Today, she's wearing a jeweled tiara. I love your new look, honey. It's a definite improvement." Everyone in the room laughed loudly at that, "I'm very happy to have Niki joinin' our family. She's a smart girl, real smart, but she's also real people. You'd think with all her fancy degrees and smarts she'd be a little stuck up. You'd be wrong. Niki is one of the friendliest people I have ever met and I can see why my son fell in love with her and married her. I love you both and I hope your marriage is long and happy." Mary raised her glass and smiled at the newlyweds.

Niki's mother stood up and smiled fondly at Sheldon and Niki, "Good evening. My name is Audrey Horner and I'm the mother of the bride. I guess I'm the final speaker to give a toast. Very well. Let me tell you a bit about my daughter. Nikita has always been a joy to have as a daughter. She was smart, of course, but she was also blessed with a great sense of humor as well as a great deal of common sense. She had had her share of setbacks but always manages to come out of it better than she was before. But I'm not just up here to talk about my daughter; I want to talk about my new son-in-law, Sheldon, as well. When you're a mother, you always hope your children will find a partner who treats them right and enriches their life. Sheldon, you have done all of that and more for Niki. You have put a smile back on her face and a light back in her eyes. Thank you, son. I am proud to have you in our family now and like Mary, I also wish you two a long and happy marriage." Mary lifted her glass up and winked at her daughter, the love she had for her clearly present.

Niki studied the elegant menu that had been placed at their table. While all the guests had chosen their preferred entrée when they had sent in their RSVP, menus had still been printed just in case someone changed their mind. Sheldon had asked the kitchen to make extra of each of the three meals and then treat the employees working their event to any leftovers.

Niki quickly gazed at the three choices: Chicken Kiev, Chilean Sea Bass, or Prime Rib. Sheldon and Niki had stuck to their usual favorites. Niki had the Sea Bass while Sheldon had picked the Prime Rib. Their drinks were their favorite non-alcoholic champagne, as neither of them cared to drink that night. When their food arrived, Niki sampled her fish. It was beyond wonderful! In fact, everything on the plate was wonderful. The steamed broccoli with cheddar cheese and the roasted fingerling potatoes were simply perfection on a plate. Sheldon's prime rib had been served with the usual baked potato and Yorkshire Pudding. By the pleased look on his face, Niki surmised that Sheldon had found his meal more than satisfactory. _It's too bad we're not rich enough to hire the cook for ourselves, though Sheldon would probably make their life a living hell. He would find it next to impossible to surrender control of the kitchen. Too bad. We would eat like royalty._

Sheldon grabbed Niki's hand under the table and asked her, "Do you remember that we requested a serve yourself dessert bar for tonight?

She looked over at him curiously, "Of course I do, why are you asking me?"

"Because, as my mother would say, I want to ask if you'd like to mosey on over there with me and fix us some desserts."

Niki smiled at him and kissed his cheek, "I love when you go all Texas on me, Cooper. And I'd love to 'mosey' with you. I've had my eye on the New York cheesecake for a while now."

Sheldon tilted his head in a perplexed manner, "That's odd. You've always loved to make sundaes with me, especially ones with chocolate syrup."

"I know that, but today I've suddenly gotten the urge to have some cheesecake. Call me weird, but that's what I want."

Sheldon stood up and as he helped Niki to her feet he told her, "Well, I'm going to make myself a sundae. Come on, Weird, let's go."

So the happy couple visited the desert bar and loaded up on their chosen deserts. Thank goodness these two were naturally thin!

After dinner and dessert were finished, Sheldon went to the front of the room and grabbed the microphone from the DJ. "Excuse me, could I have your attention for just a minute?" He looked directly at Audrey and announced, "This next dance is dedicated to my lovely mother-in-law. It was Audrey who gave my wife the enchanting name of Nikita. So, Audrey, Niki and I are dedicating this next musical number, to you. Niki loves you with all of her heart and while we have never danced to this song before, we both figured it was high time we did." Sheldon returned the mic to the DJ and walked back to his table. Once there, he held out his hand to Niki and led her to the dance floor. Niki grinned at both her mother and Sheldon as the Elton John song she was named after, Nikita, began to play. Sheldon took her tenderly in his arms and guided her in an up tempo Viennese Waltz. Niki felt as if she were in a dream, everything she had ever hoped her wedding day would be was coming true. She laid her head on Sheldon's shoulder and allowed him to propel her around the dance floor. _Is there a happier woman in the world than me tonight? I highly doubt it. Sheldon Cooper, I will love you forever._

When the song and the dance were finished, Sheldon retrieved the microphone and said, "Much of tonight's music is made up of songs that have played an important part in my relationship with Niki. As our relationship progressed, these songs had great meaning for both of us. For our friends, I hope many of these songs bring back memories of the happy times we have spent with you. But this next song is for all the ladies. All of us men were searching for the right love and we knew we found it when each of you came into our lives. We'd love it if all you gentlemen grabbed your lady and joined us in this very special dance."

With that, Foreigner's I Want to Know What Love Is began to play and all the gentlemen did, indeed, follow Sheldon's lead and grabbed their ladies for this dance. As Sheldon held her close, Niki watched all the other couples on the dance floor. Penny had been right; Leonard had been practicing his dancing. He looked smooth and at ease as he led his wife in a graceful two step. Raj and Amanda were dancing closerthanthis, obviously deeply in love with each other. Bernie and Howard were also enjoying each other's company; a tender smile graced both of their faces. Stuart and Georgia were gliding effortlessly to the music, their deep, but quiet, love readily apparent to all who watched them. Missy and Chuck were also on the dance floor, looking intently into each other's eyes. The older couples joined the action as well, with Alfred and Mary, Beverly and Roger, and Audrey and the minister, whose name was Richard Mena taking a turn on the sunken dance floor. Suddenly, Niki lifted her head from Sheldon's shoulder and pointed at Kelly and Sheldon's middle nephew, Mitchell, doing a decent facsimile of a waltz in time to the music. Sheldon was quite amused at the sight and whispered in Niki's ear, "He's quite the ladies man. Just like his uncle."

When the music ended and they all returned to their seats, something interesting happened. Anyone under the age of eighteen was asked to leave the party. There was a special gathering, with appropriate chaperones, for the younger guests in another lounge on the ship. When only the adults were left, Howard took the stage and made an announcement.

"Hello, most of you know me already. For those who don't, I'm Howard Wollowitz and I've known Sheldon Cooper for a long, long, time. At least it seems like a long time. Anyway, all of his friends are here tonight because not only do we love Sheldon, but he invited us, and he paid for all of us to stay two nights on this boat. So this song is from all the guys to Sheldon as a way of saying 'Thank you'." This wasn't the entire truth, however. While working with Sheldon on a routine that would help him make Niki laugh, they had come up with their own plan to make him do the very same thing. None of them could clearly recall the last time they had seen Sheldon lose it with laughter, so that was their plan tonight. They had guessed that their little skit would delight him, disgust him, or confuse him, one of those three. They made a group decision to go for it anyway.

Howard replaced the microphone on its stand as Leonard, Raj, and Stuart joined him up on the stage. Howard nodded to the DJ and the men began to lipsync to Lonely Island's 'I'm on a Boat'. The two event organizers who had talked earlier were snapped out of their boredom when these words came out of the speakers:

 _(Shortayyy) Aww shit!_

 _Get your towels ready. It's about to go down (shorty, yeah)_

 _Everybody in the place hit the fuckin' deck_

 _But stay on your motherfuckin' toes._

 _We runnin this, let's go!_

Sheldon looked up, his eyes growing wide. He couldn't quite believe what he was hearing. As the song went on, he watched Leonard, Raj, Howard, and Stuart using words he had never heard them utter in the entire time he had known them. When he realized it was all in jest he started to smile, then snicker. By the third time Leonard had mouthed the word motherfucker and postured like a gangsta, Sheldon lost it completely. The further into the song they got, the harder he laughed. It was the incongruity of the entire scene that tickled his brain. Soon, he was pounding on the table and laughing so hysterically, Niki became scared. She had neither heard nor seen Sheldon lose control like this before. If his friends' goal had been to make him laugh, they had succeeded beyond their wildest expectations. Tears ran down Sheldon's face and he was hard put to catch his breath. Seeing his best friends who were, for the most part, usually conservative with their language, drop the F-bomb repeatedly was the funniest thing Sheldon had ever seen or heard. Once Niki saw that he wasn't having a seizure, she began to laugh along with him. It was quite funny, especially when mild mannered Stuart claimed to have fucked a mermaid, Niki joined Sheldon in pounding the table with her hand. What they hadn't seen was the horrified look on the faces of Niki's sister and her husband, Carl. They also didn't see that everyone else laughing as hard as they were, even the good Reverend Mena. When the song was finished, the guys took their bows and left the stage to wild applause.

Over the next couple of hours there was much laughter and dancing, with everyone being invited to join the newlyweds in dancing to many of the songs that had a special place in both of their hearts. These songs included I'll Make Love to You, which Sheldon and Niki had danced to the night of the Prom when they had gotten engaged. Next, everyone traded partners and danced to songs from the Cal Tech Welcoming Picnic, Shut Up and Dance and Little Red Corvette. Later on, they also took to the dance floor to celebrate their friends' triumph in the Physics Bowl by getting up and dancing to Back in Black, where, surprisingly, the Reverend Mena outdid himself with Niki's mother.

When there was a pause in the festivities, Leonard and Penny got up and addressed the crowd.

Leonard began to speak, "May we have everyone's attention, please?" Most of the guests turned and looked at him, curious as to what he was up to.

Penny had a huge grin on her face and she told the audience, "A while back, Leonard and I went on a cruise with Sheldon and Niki. While on the trip, I managed to record some of what I like to call, Sheldon Cooper's Greatest Moments." She looked straight at Sheldon and Niki's table, where Niki was close to losing it completely. She knew what was coming. Sheldon looked from one of them to the other, confusion and dread filling his face. "No offense, Sweetie, but you were hilarious and Leonard and I caught it all on video."

 _Here is where I reveal the song that inspired Sheldon's antics in Chapter 42. No one attempted to guess what the song was that I heard at work and based this chapter on, so here it is._

Leonard turned and pointed at a large screen that descended from the ceiling behind him, "Sheldon Cooper, this is your cruise to Mexico!"

An image of a boat on the ocean started off the video, but it soon changed to Niki running down the passageway of a ship as Duran Duran's Hungry Like the Wolf began to play. There had been some excellent editing on this video, for underneath the videotape of each separate part of Sheldon's excursion, there was some dialogue explaining to the audience exactly what was going on in each scene. When Sheldon went into the theater, the crowd read, 'Sheldon attempts to find the acoustic sweet spot, much to the annoyance of a very large, muscular man'. When he interrupted the chef in the kitchen, the words read, 'Sheldon argued for the use of real eggs versus powdered and attempted a takeover of the ship's kitchen'. The funniest was when Sheldon interrupted the lecture on the apex of man's existence. The words then read, 'Sheldon argues the apex of man's existence is that split second before orgasm'. The wedding guests could not stop laughing at that and Sheldon was mortified. "I have no remembrance of any of this, Niki! This cannot get any more mortifying." he whispered to Niki.

"It's not mortifying, it's funny." She whispered back to him.

He looked up in time to see himself leave the ball pit and run up to the pool deck, removing his clothes along the way. The scene by the pool where a fully clothed Niki confronts an underwear clad Sheldon brought down the house, especially when he grabbed her and dove them both into the water. Their kiss at the end did bring a soft, "Awwww" from everyone, though. As for Sheldon, he attempted to slide low on his chair so as to become invisible to everyone in the room.

Niki talked him into sitting up, "Sheldon, see where they wrote that this entire escapade was the result of mixing medications? No one thinks this is the real you or that you were aware of anything. Relax."

"You're just saying that because you aren't up there on the screen."

Niki shook her head with certainty, "It wouldn't bother me if I were."

A voice came from their right, "Are you sure of that?"

Niki turned to see Amanda and her husband grinning at them, "What do you mean, Raj?"

Raj then walked up to where Leonard and Penny were standing and informed the crowd, "Sheldon wasn't the only one that was videotaped having an adventure. While we were on our lecture tour, I whipped out my phone and capture some pretty priceless moments between Niki and Sheldon."

Niki's eyes went wide and she frantically wondered just what Raj had captured on video.

She soon found out. The music began; it was The Ramones' I Want to be Sedated. Once again, everyone's eyes were riveted to the large screen and they saw Niki running through the concourse of several airports, attempting and failing to balance the entire set of luggage she carried with her. There were numerous scenes of Niki sleeping open-mouthed on different flights. Her troubles stowing her luggage into the appropriate overhead bays were also well documented. Several times the guests were treated to a view of Niki's luggage falling out of the compartments and down on her head. What brought the most laughter, however, was the videotaping of Sheldon and Niki making a stealthy journey to the restroom and emerging several minutes later with their clothes awry, their hair disheveled, and their faces looking satisfied. The entire room burst into uncontrollable laughter with that scene. At the end, Raj had captured the exhaustion each of them were feeling by showing Sheldon walking through the airport, carrying Niki over his shoulder while pulling their wheeled luggage behind him.

Niki, unlike Sheldon, was not the least embarrassed. She now knew the cause of her exhaustion and viewed the video with interest, not chagrin.

Sheldon commented to his wife, "I suppose I should thank Koothrappali that he didn't film me at my worst, when I was treating you so abysmally."

"Sheldon, Raj would never do that. He's our friend. And quite a good one, I might add."

Sheldon gently squeezed Niki's hand and replied, "That he is, that he is. Will you please excuse me for a moment, Niki? I have something important to do. I'll be back shortly."

Niki assumed he had gone to visit one of their guests or went to use the restroom. She was taken completely by surprise a few minutes later when Leonard, Howard, Raj, and Stuart appeared on the stage with anticipatory grins on their faces. Their suits jackets were missing, their ties were undone, and their shirts were opened almost to the waist. Niki shot them a questioning look when all of a sudden the intro to Lonely Island's I Just Had Sex began to play and Leonard began to mime the introductory words. And then it happened; Sheldon came out of nowhere looking much the same as his friends, shirt and tie askew and hair rumpled. He began lip-syncing Akon's part of the song, which everyone in the room found beyond hilarious. His loosened tie and open shirt revealed strategically placed love bites, put there by Niki the previous night. _So that's why he asked me to give him hickeys there. Oh this is good!_

As the song went on and each of the guys syncing a different part, Niki lost it. By the end of the song, everyone in the room, with the exception of Janine and Carl (who had hastily left), was singing along. Niki favorite part of the song was either Sheldon thanking the ladies for each fucking their men or when Stuart put the paper bag over his head. Either way, Sheldon achieved his goal. Niki was laughing, and she was laughing hard. She figured that Sheldon's final barrier had been broken down. He now felt free to act silly in front of his friends and Niki was overjoyed at this breakthrough.

After that number, the cake was brought out and Niki and Sheldon cut it. Neither of them did a particularly good job of it, but no one truly cared. It was enough that they were together, happy, and laughing with each other.

Then it was time for Niki to throw her bouquet. There was only one little problem, all of the ladies of her wedding party were married except for Georgia. Niki sighed, turned, and tossed the darn thing over her shoulder. The other ladies allowed Georgia to easily catch it. Sheldon grinned and said to Stuart, "I have the distinctive feeling that you're next."

Stuart smiled shyly and went over to his lady and went down on one knee. He carried a small red velvet ring box which he opened to reveal a lovely ring of peridot surrounded by tiny diamonds. Georgia cried, "Yes!" and Stuart put the ring on her finger. The green of the gemstone matched the exact color of her eyes; making the ring a perfect choice for his lady. Niki, who loved unconventional engagement rings, smiled in approval of both the proposal and the choice of jewelry.

After the reception was over, Sheldon took his bride's hand and led her for a walk on the deck. Before they left the room, Niki threw a nod and a wink at Bernadette, letting her know that she had not forgotten their earlier conversation. After a few minutes of walking, Sheldon stopped and led Niki over to the railing, where they looked out over the harbor. She laid her head on Sheldon's shoulder and gave a contented sigh.

He kissed the top of her head and said in a voice filled with contentment and joy, "This was the perfect day."

"Yes," she answered coyly, "it was perfect for all three of us."

"Woman, are you seeing double or something? Did you happen to drink some of the actual champagne by mistake? There are only two of us here. One. Two." He pointed to himself and her, "Not three, two."

"No, Sheldon. There are three of us." She then took his hand and laid it gently on her abdomen. "Three. Me, you, and our mini Cooper."

His eyes grew bright and his smile became electric, "You mean, you're…we're…?"

"Yep. I mean there will soon be three Coopers in our household."

Sheldon took Niki into his arms and kissed her like he never wanted to stop. Suddenly, they both heard a voice from up above call down to them, "Hey, you two. This is like déjà vu all over again. Let's see some moonlight between the two of you!"

Sheldon looked up and saw Leonard and Penny on the deck above them. "Leonard!" he called out excitedly, "You and Penny need to get down here immediately."

"Why's that? You two look like you're fine all on your lonesome."

Sheldon insisted, "No, come down. Please."

Leonard and his wife exchanged puzzled glances and proceeded to join their friends on the lower deck. When they reached the newlyweds, Penny asked them, "Okay, here we are. Now tell us, what in the heck was so important that we had to come all the way down here."

Sheldon smiled like Leonard had never seen him smile before, "We have some important news to tell you."

Leonard took a few guesses, "What? You've changed your honeymoon destination? You cancelled your speaking tour? You threw Howard overboard? What is it?"

"Leonard," Sheldon told him, his voice betraying his happiness and excitement, "I'm going to be a father!"

Penny gave a squeal and hugged Niki, "I'm so happy for both of you! Just think, our children will be close in age, they can grow up together!"

Sheldon's face suddenly sobered, "Niki, have you seen the doctor? Is the pregnancy normal?" His worried tone of voice showed his concern.

"Relax, Cooper. They doctor said he had never seen a woman my age carrying her child so well. All is good, normal, and on schedule. He said my previous problems may have been caused by a genetic incompatibility with Paul. He said our baby is one hundred percent healthy and my pregnancy is completely normal."

Sheldon said nothing in reply, but he did put an arm around her and kiss the top of her head repeatedly.

"Just think," Penny mused, "Sheldon Cooper is going to be a daddy. Niki, good work. When did you suspect your were pregnant?"

"While we were on the first leg of our tour. I was so tired all the time and I remembered throwing up a couple of times at Disneyland. When we got home, I went to the doctor to find out for sure."

Leonard asked them, "Do you guys want a boy or a girl?"

"Personally, I don't care, but my hubby here," she pointed to Sheldon, "has his heart set on a girl. So, we'll see."

Sheldon said with assurance, "It will be a girl, Niki. I always get what I want."

Nikii shook her head and replied, "Not always, Sheldon."

"I got you, didn't I?"

Niki gave a small chuckle, "I guess you did, for the rest of your life."

Sheldon wrapped his arms around his bride and kissed the tip of her nose, "And that's just the way I wanted it."

 **Let's leave Sheldon, Niki, Leonard, and Penny to enjoy the rest of the evening together. I'm sure it won't be long before all of their friends know about the Cooper's coming child. Bernadette will be happy that Niki finally revealed her pregnancy to Sheldon and Mary and Audrey will be overjoyed at the news they will soon become grandmothers again. There's only one more chapter to this story, so I suppose I'll get to it.**


	60. Chapter 60

Chapter 60: A Principio Novi

 **Sheldon and Niki's child arrives to great fanfare and Sheldon gets some amazing news.**

October 9th, 2027 - Altadena, California.

It was a typical Saturday morning in early October and Sheldon Cooper was watching Dr. Who on the television. His wife, Niki, was fast asleep next to him on the bed and he had a bowl of his favorite cereal in front of him on a dinner tray. During a commercial break, Sheldon paused to ponder how his life had changed in the last two years. He was married to a woman he was madly in love with and this woman was very pregnant with their first child. Pregnant or not, Sheldon was still incredibly attracted sexually to his wife and she to him. Her pregnancy had been without any serious health concerns so he and Niki had continued with their incredibly satisfying love life. They had a rock solid marriage based on mutual attraction and respect. He looked down at his sleeping wife in wonder. How life had changed since he had met her! If he wanted to be honest with himself, he scarcely resembled the man he had been back when he first met Niki. Then he had been a bitter, repressed, lonely, self-centered man whose thoughts were mostly centered on himself and his research. If something didn't concern his research or his person, he had been very dismissive of it. His friends had understood this, however, because he had been left devastated by the death of his first wife, Amy. So deep was his pain from this loss that he withdrew from everyone and everything except science.

Then he had been introduced to Niki Horner and his world had been turned upside down. She had consistently challenged him to think and experience things outside of his comfort zone. At first he had resisted, but she had eventually worn him down with her wit, her stubbornness, and her wonderful sense of fun. How he had grown to love and adore her and her crazy, off-the-cuff way of dealing with life! Niki was self assured, temperamental, stubborn, kind, and highly perceptive and intelligent. She was a perfect match for his oversized ego, self righteous demeanor, professional zeal, exceptional loyalty, and his annoying eccentricities. Their marriage had so far been a very happy one. They seemed to bring out the best in each other and their partnership had proven to be fruitful on both a personal and a professional level. They owned a scientific research center together that was proving itself quite profitable. They had been given multiple research grants by the government to further expound on their theories of future space travel through black holes. Their entire team had spent most of the last six months working on this and Sheldon was more than pleased with their progress.

The commercials came to an end and Sheldon refocused his attention back to the television and his time traveling hero. Suddenly Niki rolled over and yawned, "Good morning, Dr. Cooper. How's Dr. Who doing this fine Saturday morning?"

Sheldon looked down at her and smiled fondly as he replied, "As well as usual, Mrs. Cooper. And how are you and the mini Cooper doing?"

Niki sat up and stretched, "Just fine. I think I'll get up and…." Her eyes went wide.

Sheldon was immediately concerned, "What's the matter, Niki? Are you okay?"

She nodded and smiled wanly, "Sheldon, I think we should prepare to go to the hospital."

He rolled his eyes and patiently explained to her, "Niki, in case you've forgotten, we have already prepared for that. We have had a suitcase packed for you for weeks now and your doctor's phone number is right here next to the lamp on the nightstand."

Niki made a suggestion to her husband, "Well, Cooper, I think you'd better call that number right now."

"Why now? It would be rather rude to awaken him this early on a Saturday morning."

Niki's voice became insistent, "Cooper, call him. And our mothers and friends."

"Why on earth…OH!" Sheldon reached for his phone and pressed the number for Niki's doctor. _Hello, Dr. Actus? This is Sheldon Cooper, I'm the husband of…okay, well I think Niki's ready to have this baby today. What? Of course I'll put her on._

 _Hello, Doctor Actus. Yes, I woke up and my water just broke. Contractions? I've only had one, nothing too bad...wait, I take that back. The one I'm having now hurts a little. Yes, we'll meet you there. Thanks. And I'm really sorry about it being on Saturday morning. Yes, I'm sure it happens this way quite often, but this is my first time. Okay, we'll see you there. Yes, I will be safe with Sheldon driving. Bye._

Niki gave Sheldon explicit instructions, "Call both of our mothers and I'll call Penny. She can call everyone else."

"Do we have time for that?"

Niki began to get dressed, "From what I've read, first babies are seldom in a big hurry. We've got plenty of time. So call the mothers and I'll call Penny. "

Niki grabbed her phone from the nightstand and called her best friend. _Hello, Penny?_

 _Nik? What's up? Why are you calling us so early? I know Sheldon is up watching his show, but why are you…OH MY GOD! Is the baby coming?_

 _I think so. Sheldon and I are leaving for the hospital in a few minutes._

 _Don't worry; first babies take a while to be born. Blake took his ever lovin' time, remember? Sixteen hours of labor! I hope yours isn't anywhere near that long. It was more than worth it, though._

 _I'm not worried about any of that girl; I'm just excited to meet my baby today. So is Sheldon._

 _Girl, he's probably more excited than you are. He's going to make a great father, you know that._

 _I know. Look, Sheldon's ready to go so I'd better get off the phone. Was Leonard nervous when you went into labor?_

 _Are you kidding me? I thought he was having a fatal asthma attack! Look, we'll meet you at the hospital; we'll just take Blake with us._

 _I didn't wake him, did I?_

 _Honey, this kid could sleep through a nuclear attack. We got lucky there. See you at the hospital. I can't wait to meet Baby Cooper!_

When all of their friends and their families arrived at the hospital, they found Sheldon standing in the hall outside the labor room, a pained look on his face.

Leonard took in the scenario and Sheldon's face and asked him, "Shouldn't you be in there with Niki, Buddy?"

Sheldon went white and shook his head decisively, "I can't, Leonard. I saw my oldest nephew being born and I never want to see that sight again."

Raj tried and failed to understand Sheldon's reluctance to be with his wife, "Dude, this will be your kid."

Sheldon looked even more distressed, "I know, I know. But I need to be out here. I don't want to have that sort of memory associated with Niki."

Penny spoke up, "Sheldon, maybe Niki needs you in there."

"Our mothers are in there with her. Niki is being well supported." Niki's mother had moved back to Pasadena shortly after her daughter's wedding. Partly because of Niki's pregnancy, but also because that was where a certain, handsome, Reverend Mena lived. They had been what Audrey called 'keeping company' since the night of Sheldon and Niki's wedding.

Leonard took him by the arm and steered him down the hall, "Buddy, let's go take a seat in the waiting room and relax for a bit. Niki knows you, she understands."

Sheldon gave his friend a weak smile, "Thank you, Leonard. The best thing about Niki is that she does understand me. That is what makes our relationship possible. I still feel terribly guilty about it, though."

They took their seats in the waiting room amid an awkward silence. Howard and Bernadette texted their daughter and kept her updated on what was happening. Kelly loved both Niki and Sheldon and was looking forward to coming to the hospital and meeting the baby after it was born.

Raj and Amanda each picked up a copy of People magazine and began to read. Anything to keep from addressing the elephant in the room.

Everyone looked up as Stuart entered the room. "How's Niki doing? Will the baby be here soon?"

Howard answered him in an annoyed voice, "Hey, Stuart. We don't know. Sheldon doesn't want to be in the labor room at all."

Stuart thought for a moment and pulled out his phone, "Maybe Georgia knows what's going on. She's on duty right now. She works in the nursery, not the labor room, but maybe she's heard something."

Sheldon stopped him from calling his fiancé, "Don't interrupt her work, Stuart. I'm sure if anything exciting were happening I would have heard about it."

Stuart looked perplexed and asked him, "Why don't you want to go see for yourself?"

Leonard answered him with a warning, "Don't go there, Stuart. Sheldon has an aversion to childbirth."

Sheldon attempted to explain his dilemma to his friend and the rest of them, "Leonard, it's not just childbirth. I can't bear to witness Niki in pain and being unable to help her."

Leonard sought to encourage him, "Buddy, it's not that bad, really."

Penny shot her husband an exasperated look, "Excuse me? Were you the one in labor?" She then gave her friend a much softer response, "Look, Sheldon, it's painful, but it's nothing she won't be able to handle. This is Niki we're talking about. She's more than a little bit tough. I know one thing; she most likely would love to see you in there with her. Leonard was a little bit shaky, but he did it. And I really appreciated him being there."

"I appreciate your kind words, Penny, but there is nothing, I repeat, nothing, that would make me go into that room. The entire idea gives me great angst."

Raj surrendered the battle, "Hey, Dude, if you can't, you can't. I guess we can wait right here until we hear something."

"That's very understanding of you, Koothrappali. There is not a power on earth that compel me to enter that labor room."

Suddenly, everyone in the room heard Sheldon's phone go off. He hastily answered it, thinking it might be his mother with an update on Niki's progress. _Hello? Speaking. Excuse me? This is not some sort of joke, is it? My wife is in labor, so this would be a very poor time to pull a prank. Yes, my wife is Dr. Nikita Horner. Dr. Koothrappali? He's sitting here in the room with me. Thank you very much for your call. Yes, I'll make sure to tell them. Goodbye._

Sheldon rose, grabbed Raj's hand, and pulled him to his feet. "Koothrappali, come with me."

Raj was confused, "Where to, Sheldon?"

Sheldon made quick strides for the door, taking the hapless Raj with him, "The labor room! Where is your phone?"

Raj answered him in a panicked voice, "It's at home. We kind of left in a hurry."

"Never mind, then. Come with me."

Raj was now totally confused, "But I thought…"

Sheldon cut him off with a brusque, "Now!"

They headed back down the hall to the labor room, the tall, thin man pulling the smaller, shorter man along behind him. "I have to see Niki immediately!"

"Why, dude? You just said no power on earth could get you in there."

Sheldon answered his friend without breaking stride, "Well this is important. Far more important than my silly fears."

They entered the room and saw Niki laying in bed, each of the mothers encouraging her in their own, special way. "That's my girl. Don't you fret none. The blessed child is gonna be born pretty darn quick. Just hunker down and keep calm."

"Honey, you're almost there. Soon you will be greeting your darling child. You have waited so very long for this moment, so let's see this thing through. I'm here for you, darling. Just concentrate and don't panic."

They both looked up in surprise when a very agitated Sheldon and a confused Raj entered the room. Niki looked over at her husband and exclaimed in a relieved voice, "Sheldon! You came. Everything is going to be okay now, mom. I have Sheldon with me."

Sheldon immediately felt great shame for his absence up to this time. _That was just like the old me, putting my own needs ahead of hers. No more. That stops today. Cooper, today you are becoming a father and all selfish behavior must stop! Look at her there. So brave and loving. My job as a man and a husband is to support my wife._

"Niki," he began to tell her, "I am here now and I will stay here until our child is born. However, there is something important I must share with you and Koothrappali."

Niki's face screwed up in pain, "Can it wait a minute? I'm kinda busy right now."

Sheldon grabbed her hand and held it tenderly, "Breathe, Niki. Concentrate on your breathing. I will help you." Mary looked on with great pride at her son, while Audrey nodded in relief. _My girl married a good one. I can see why they are so happy together. These two love and need each other very deeply._

When the contraction had ended, Niki looked up at Sheldon and asked, "What is your important news you're dying to share?"

Sheldon proudly proclaimed, "Dr. Nikita Horner, today you are not only going to become a mother, but you are part of a group that just won the Nobel Prize for Physics!"

Niki's eyes went wide, "Sheldon, we won? Oh my god! This is another perfect day for us isn't it? When did you find out? Wait, here we go again…"

Sheldon once again took her hand and talked to his wife, "Breathe and relax, Niki. It won't be much longer until we meet our daughter."

Niki gave a smirk in the midst of her pain, "Still convinced it will be a girl, huh?"

"As I have told you before, Niki, I always get my way."

"I suppose we're going to put that to the test right now. Mom, this baby is coming, and I do mean right now!"

Mary rang for the doctor and he ran into the room. He lifted the sheet covering Niki's lower extremities, gave a shocked look, and called for the nurse. He asked Niki in a kind, patient, voice, "This child will be born before we can get you to the delivery room. Mrs. Cooper, do you think you are up to delivering the child here, in this room?"

"I don't think there is any way we could stop it." She suddenly screamed, "Oh god!"

Sheldon caressed his wife's forehead and encouraged her, "Push, darling. Push. She's almost here and your pain is almost over. I'm here to help you if you need it."

Niki gave a final push and cried out, "Oh dear God!"

They heard their child give a lusty cry as they were born. The doctor caught the baby and smiled at both of them. "Mr. and Mrs. Cooper, I'm very pleased to inform you that you were correct. You have a healthy baby girl." The doctor then took the little girl off to weigh her, clean her up, and run some quick tests.

Mary called out, "Praise the Lord!"

Niki's mother beamed at her daughter, "Oh honey, I'm so proud of you!"

Sheldon tenderly kissed his wife on the cheek, "Niki, you have made me the happiest man on the face of the earth…once again."

Niki's panting stopped and she gave her husband a wry grin, "You were right, Cooper. You _do_ always get your way." The doctor soon returned and placed her daughter in Niki's arms. She sweetly placed a kiss on her nose, "She's beautiful!"

Mary looked down at her new granddaughter, "She's got her daddy's chin and hair."

Audrey had tears rolling down her cheeks, "And her mother's eyes. Doctor, aren't babies' eyes usually blue?"

"Most of the time, yes. But sometimes they are born with the color they will keep. Your daughter does have your eyes, Mrs. Cooper. They are very unusual and very pretty."

"What are you going to name her?" Mary asked them. She was curious and couldn't wait to learn the name the parents would choose.

Niki cooed to her daughter, "Her name is going to be Laureate Marie. Laureate because today we found out we are the Nobel Laureates in Physics and Marie for her grandmothers. My mother's middle name is Marie and Mary is your mother's name, Sheldon. Is that okay? I know Marie isn't exactly Mary, but it's close."

Mary laughed and told her, "Honey, I don't care what her middle name is as long as I get to babysit a lot."

Audrey smiled and replied, "You can watch her whenever I cannot, Mary."

Sheldon interceded, "Ladies, I can guarantee you both that we will give you ample opportunities to watch our daughter. We will soon be flying to Sweden to accept our prize, so we need both of you to come with us, as well as all of our friends."

Audrey smiled and softly touched her granddaughter's face, "Laureate, that's such a pretty name."

Niki looked up at Sheldon, "I think we'll just call her Lori, for short. Is that okay with you?"

Sheldon's answer was succinct and sweet as he gazed down at his daughter, "It's perfect." He caressed her cheek, "I love you, Lori Marie Cooper."

Throughout the coming years, Sheldon and Niki's precocious daughter was always called Lori, but no one ever forgot her real name was Laureate and that she was the daughter of two highly esteemed Nobel Prize winners. Dr. Sheldon Cooper Ph.D., Sc.D., always made sure of that.

December 4th, 2027 - Stockholm, Sweden

Sheldon, Niki, Raj, and their entourage arrived in Stockholm on December 4th. They were treated to a week of lectures (all Nobel prize recipients, including Sheldon, Raj, and Nik,i were each required to give a lecture that pertained to the area of their research) which they all religiously attended. Whenever possible, their friends attended events with them while Mary and Audrey gladly watched their children. Niki was particularly interested in the prize winner for chemistry's speech. This person had discovered a new element that Howard had informed them, if developed properly as an external covering for spacecraft, could make nullifying gravity much easier for space exploration. This tied in nicely with their research, so it was arranged that their lectures would all be delivered on the same day. Niki loved to lecture, being a former professor, while Sheldon and Raj detested it.

By committee, they decided to let Niki give the longest, most in-depth presentation while they kept theirs mercifully short. When Niki stood at the lectern, her mind wandered back over the years to when she had given similar lectures to her students. It felt like going home again to be presenting to a group and this fact was not lost on Sheldon. He mentally gave himself a reminder to encourage Niki to return to teaching at least part time when they returned home. He had been highly impressed with her lecture and saw, for the first time, that teaching, not research, was his wife's true calling.

The day of the Nobel banquet, their entire group congregated in Sheldon and Niki's hotel suite. Niki aided her husband with his outfit for the night. The ceremony was very formal and the dress code followed suit. For the gentlemen who were attending the Nobel Banquet, this meant wearing a very classic black tailcoat with silk facings, a white waistcoat, black pants and dress socks, with a white bowtie. Niki told Sheldon that it looked like he belonged in a Fred Astaire movie, though secretly she found him very sexy and handsome dressed this way. She hardly recognized her husband, who normally wore t-shirts and casual slacks.

Niki wore a long opalescent evening gown that took its look from ancient Greece. Her shoulder length hair was piled on top of her head in loose curls. Sheldon loved the look and thought it suited her far better than would a less modest gown. He thought she looked the part of a sophisticated, world renowned, physicist. He barely recognized his wife, who most often dressed in faded jeans and t-shirts and tied her hair back in a simple ponytail. He found her profoundly beautiful in the evening's attire.

Sheldon, Niki, and Raj sat patiently through the entire evening until it was their turn to be presented their awards by the King of Sweden. Niki had thought she had prepared herself adequately for his moment, but she had failed to realize the emotional impact it would have on her. In her mind, she was just Niki Cooper, a wife, mother, and friend. No more special than any other working mother. When her name was announced along with Sheldon and Raj's as the 2027 Noble Winner in Physics, it hit her that she wasn't just Niki Cooper; she was also Dr. Nikita Horner, a world famous researcher and physicist who, along with her husband and their partner, had contributed to a most important scientific discovery. It was very eye-opening. But as their pictures were being taken, her priorities were set straight once more when she saw Sheldon smiling down at their baby daughter. Doing this with their child present was what really made this important. Niki's eyes teared up and she was hard put to keep from blowing Lori a kiss. Nobel prizes were wonderful and professionally important, but that child lying in her Nana's arms, looking up at her mommy and daddy on the stage was what really mattered in life.

After the Nobel Banquet had ended, everyone in their party retired to Sheldon and Niki's suite for a far more informal get together. Here, Lori was passed from person to person, as was Leonard and Penny's son, Blake. They all marveled at the love and friendship that was gathered in one room. Niki took in all the people she loved that had traveled to Sweden with them. _You can keep your Noble Prizes, they're nice and all, but if I had to choose, I'd rather have my friends and my family. They are what truly make my life complete._

After the usual congratulations, everyone began to talk about more mundane matters. Bernadette, Amanda and Georgia talked about their jobs while Niki and Penny discussed the challenges of breastfeeding. The grandmothers expounded on the beauty of all their grandchildren and life in general. Howard, Raj, Leonard, and Stuart reverted to their default and began to discuss comic books, video games, and Star Wars. Suddenly, all the conversations ceased and a soft voice was heard singing. They all turned to stare at Sheldon, who was gently crooning this song to his child who he tenderly held in his arms. Was the song for his daughter, his wife, his family, his friends, or all of them? The latter seemed to be the most likely and he continued singing Till There Was You, which sweetly filled all the silences in the room.

There were bells on a hill  
But I never heard them ringing  
No, I never heard them at all  
Till there was you

There were birds in the sky  
But I never saw them winging  
No, I never saw them at all  
Till there was you

Then there was music and wonderful roses  
They tell me in sweet fragrant meadows  
Of dawn and dew

There was love all around  
But I never heard it singing  
No, I never heard it at all  
Till there was you  
Till there was you

 **Author's Notes: This story is dedicated to the young woman who inspired the character of Niki. A little background: On the show, I was very disappointed when Sheldon did not immediately start treating Amy in a more intimate, caring, manner after their first time making love. After all the self discovery Sheldon went through, to have him go back to the hands-off approach with her infuriated me. I thought of an old colleague of mine, who I had taught with a few years ago. She was brilliant, the smartest person I ever knew. The girl could do calculus in her head, no lie. We were both tenured teachers at the institution we taught at, both of us teaching languages, science and math, but she was far more gifted than I ever will be. I patterned Niki after her. This lady would have given Sheldon what for if he had ever pulled that self centered crap on her and I ran with that idea. Lady X was funny, impatient, caustic in her comments, inventive, and beyond intelligent. Everyone loved her as she always made people laugh, smile, and feel good about themselves, unless they pissed her off. Then, her tongue was lethal. I couldn't give Niki all of her qualities, just some of them, because I would have been accused of creating the biggest Mary Sue in the history of fanficiton. Lady X was a brilliant mathematician and scientist, but she could sing and dance on a professional level. She also spoke Latin and German fluently. If that wasn't enough, she was a gifted artist who excelled at animation. She was very, very, good at that. She was also an alcoholic, a bad one. This was caused by several childhood traumas that she was working hard to overcome. She was so intelligent that her drinking never impacted her career…at first. She graduated at the top of her class from a prestigious university; no one even came close to her, male or female. I used her alcoholism, her love of dance, her amazing grey eyes, her freckles, and her wit and intelligence to create Niki Horner. The only differences between her and Niki were that this lady was short and I made Niki tall. Lady X also had red hair and I made Niki blonde. In spite of those differences, this story is for her. I even gave one of the minor characters in this story her name. She eventually transferred to teach at a school in another state where she finally forced to address her drinking problem. She conquered her alcoholism and went back to school to become a doctor. The last I heard, she was a very successful one. I expected no less. So, Lady X, this story is for you, my friend. I will never forget you. You were amazing and you would have kicked Sheldon Cooper's butt.**

 **I would also like to thank those of you whose reviews, pms, and kind words and criticisms kept this story alive, long after I would have liked to have ended it. Special thanks go to bamadude, SRAM, alanjay, and B Ghoul. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. And thank you to everyone who read this. I know it was long, but many labors of love are. I'll be writing more soon, so I hope you guys will take the time to check out any new stories I write.**


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